NYCEDC Announces New and Expanded Vendors at Essex Market
Don Ceviche to Expand Concept and Offer Peruvian Rotisserie Chicken; New Business Essex Squeeze to Become Market’s First Salad, Smoothie and Juice Vendor
NEW YORK, NY—New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) today announced popular Peruvian ceviche vendor Don Ceviche will expand his concept and offerings at Essex Market under the new name Mercado Lima. The new venture, which will occupy a larger stall across from his current location, will include authentic Pollo a la Brasa, or Peruvian rotisserie chicken. Additionally, new vendor Essex Squeeze will operate out of Don Ceviche’s former stall and offer an array of fresh juices, smoothies, acai bowls and build-your-own salads. Both vendors are expected to be up and running in their new spaces by mid-March.
“It is amazing to see that less than a year after opening in the new location, Essex Market vendors are outgrowing their spaces. The demand for new items and more expansive menus speaks volumes about our vendors and the community as a whole” said NYCEDC Vice President of Retail Markets David Hughes. “We are thrilled to be introducing traditional Peruvian rotisserie chicken to the market and welcoming a chopped salad and fresh juice vendor, which is filling a much needed void in the culinary lineup of the Market.”
"I want to thank Essex Market and NYCEDC for giving me this opportunity to expand my business by adding traditional Peruvian rotisserie chicken to the menu,” said Lenin Costas, Founder of Don Ceviche. “I feel very lucky to be able to showcase the culture and food of Peru in the amazing city of New York.”
“We are beyond excited to have an opportunity to own a business in our very own stomping grounds,” said Essex Squeeze Founder Cedric Hernandez, also a co-founder of the Bridge the Gap Running Movement. “Having grown up in the Lower East Side in such an eclectic neighborhood, this is an amazing opportunity to offer something to the community that raised us. The Essex Market has a great array of existing vendors that represent the neighborhood well and with Essex Squeeze we plan to continue that tradition.”
"Essex Market continues to be a dynamic community anchor for the Lower East Side's growing local economy," said Tim Laughlin, President of the Lower East Side Partnership. "Incubating small food merchants and entrepreneurs is an essential role of New York City's largest public market and results in an authentic customer experience for residents and visitors alike looking for fresh food and produce at a variety of price points."
Essex Market has provided affordable space to eateries, artists, merchants and other vendors since the 1940s when Mayor LaGuardia made a dedicated effort to provide street merchants and pushcart vendors with dedicated places to do business. After a period of decline in the 1970s, NYCEDC began to manage the Market in 1992, renovating the facilities and helping to catalyze the Market’s resurgence. In May of 2019, the market was relocated into an expanded space within the nearby Essex Crossing project. The new Essex Market currently has 37 vendors, space for two full-service restaurants, a demonstration kitchen for educational programming, and more.
About NYCEDC
New York City Economic Development Corporation creates shared prosperity across New York City’s five boroughs by strengthening neighborhoods and creating good jobs. NYCEDC works with and for communities to provide them with the resources they need to thrive, and we invest in projects that increase sustainability, support job growth, develop talent, and spark innovation to strengthen the City’s competitive advantage. To learn more about our work and initiatives, please visit us on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.
