Capitol Market attracting customers and seeking new retailers: Former depot will near capacity as summer season looms

Lisa McCracken has a few small problems.

Sometimes, she has more customers than parking spaces at CapitolMarket, the refurbished train depot that houses a variety of high-endshops and outdoor vendors selling locally grown plants andvegetables.

She'll have to choose between several tenants who would like tomove into the three empty slots in the indoor marketplace.The outdoor market will be nearly at capacity for the summerproduce, flower and plant season, which begins the first week inJuly.McCracken, the executive director of Capitol Market, which sits atthe top of Capitol Street, is the first to admit these are goodproblems.In the year since the market's opening - the indoor market beganselling primarily West Virginia-made products last May 23 -McCrackenhas had to deal with several good problems.The indoor marketplace has grown from three tenants to 12.Besides the three indoor slots in negotiation, McCracken also islooking to fill a 3,000-foot space, ideally with a moresophisticatedrestaurant that serves lunch and dinner.Although she's begun talks with two possibilities - it's too earlyto identify just who, she says - McCracken also would be amenable toa cafe and more indoor food vendors."We are developing this list of needs and a list of peopleinterested in coming in," McCracken said. "It's critical to me thatthe area not sit vacant for another 12 months. I want to do what'sbest for the market as a whole, and I'm trying to find the best fitrather than meet a time deadline."McCracken identifies an Italian grocery, a Middle Eastern deli anda bakery as needs the market has.But the 15,000 customers who pass through the market in an averageweek seem to appreciate the market's existing attractions.Inside the market, people can sample hot foods at the PretzelPlace or delicious soups at the Roasted Pepper.They can buy jars of West Virginia-made salsa or Teays Valleybiscuits at Perdue Groceries. Or they can try the World's BestCookie - made in Moundsville, W.Va."I just love it," said Christy McClure of South Charleston, whoworks at the grocery. "I've been trying it all, sampling things."Outside, where growers are wrapping up the spring bedding plantseason, the tarmac has been transformed into a jungle of thrivingplants.Barbara Lewis of Milton has worked at Marvin Edwards' stand sinceit opened in the market. She said she sells a lot of hangingbaskets, annuals and perennials. And ferns."He's the fern person," Lewis said of Edwards.The Marvin Edwards stand is open from April to December, and Lewisgets to watch the passersby as they check out the spring seedlings,the summer produce, the Halloween pumpkins and Christmas trees.Across the marketplace, Wilda Gritts is unloading plump redtomatoes that seem as if they might burst and a new shipment ofhanging plants straight from her Buffalo farm.Since school is out, she's brought Bradley, 8, with her. He runsthe register while she arranges the baskets of tomatoes."Some days we're more busy, some days we're real slow," Grittsadmits.But her stand does good business, she said. She credits herwillingness to try new plants and vegetables."New and different things, people like that," Gritts said.Karin Fischer can be reached at 348-4843.