Sweet Auburn Market

Sweet Auburn Curb Market was founded in 1918 after the Great Atlanta fire of 1917. Although it was founded in 1918, the Atlanta Women’s Club fundraised for a fireproof brick building in 1924 open the market in a new building. According to a recent article from exploregeorgia.org “The market is home to thirty local businesses, including fresh produce, seafood, pharmacies, and ten of the most popular eateries in the city.” (The Municipal) The market opened its doors to all races during segregation to give a place where everyone could sell and eat food together. Sweet Auburn Curb market was not always called Sweet Auburn, it changed from the Municipal Market in the 1990s to represent Auburn Avenue.

The first time I visited Sweet Auburn Curb market was when I was leaving a doctor’s appointment with my parents. On the way home, we stopped at this old abandoned looking brick building. I didn’t know why we were there but my parents and I got out the car and we entered this building. Little did I know that I was about to enter a historic market with food from almost every part of the world and people from every part of the world. When I first entered the market I immediately recognized sweet fragrances of fresh oranges, fresh bananas, and fresh mangos. Even though the marker smell caught my attention, I was amazed at the amount of businesses that were in one building. Seafood, natural produce, butcher shop, pharmacies, Chinese, bakeries, and even gift shops. While I was there I ate cheese burgers and fries but every time I went back I tried a new meal.

 Recently I took my taste buds back to the market to try the restaurants. When I was there I realized that there were more customers than the last time I was there. That made me wonder since Sweet Auburn is downtown around a lot of fast food restaurants doesn’t it have major competition. Then I asked myself why customers prefer the market over fast food. In attempts to figure out why, during my recent visit I interviewed a manager to a restaurant. Her responses were centered around the idea that customers prefer to know how fresh their food is and where it comes from. The woman interview was named Sharonda Johnson she managed a fresh produce stand by the name of the S&H Produce shop. Sharonda believed that “The customers love to shop from here because the fresh food we get every week don’t taste the same as the other places.” This makes sense because on the burger I ate the buns looked different and pickles had different flavors from what I was used to. The pickles from the burgers were not as sweet as the pickles in a jar. The buns were almost commercial like fluffy, not greasy, could truly taste bread and not butter. “I been here for 11 years and not once have a person ever told me that they weren’t satisfied with the food. Every restaurant around here works to be better than any restaurant in the city, we taste better, were affordable, and we are a family and the people that shops here know that.”(Johnson)

Sweet Auburn market is home to thirty very successful businesses. It has customers from every race to come and shop. During the interview with Ms.Johnson I ask “why is the market still up and running, what makes it so successful” This was crucial to my investigation because the market was founded over a century ago and here today it is still successful as if it was just created. “Sweet Auburn has uniqueness, unique restaurants, unique produces, and unique tastes.” (Johnson) The statement quoted above showed how much passions they have about their market. From the website to the market itself it shows people really value Sweet Auburn.

This market was known mainly for its history but also for its authenticity and truthfulness. The managers make sure that every customer know that their food is from where it says it’s from and pulled fresh to eat. From the book Food matters an author by the name of Troy Johnson wrote a selection about how he disliked when restaurant defrauded its customers with lies about greenwashing. Johnson talked about how the restaurants lie to their customers about food and where it really comes from, but Auburn Sweet market does not. Sweet Auburn is the complete opposite and it would be in favor with Johnson thoughts. The market is truthful on where its food is from and how fresh it is. My final impression of Sweet Auburn market is that it memorable. I will always remember the food and the first time I been there, and I hope that it’ll always be as successful as it is now so I could bring more family and friends.

Photo Attributions
"IMG_6859" by Emily M Connor is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0
"IMG_6894" by Emily M Connor is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0

Wings or Wings

"2008 NFL Super Bowl XLII" by RMTip21 is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

February 3rd, 2008 was the very first time I had the opportunity to taste the best dish ever made. My parents had a party for Super bowl XLII, where they served a plethora of wings, snacks, and drinks. I was given a plate that had two or three hot wings on them. My first instinct was “what is this red dripping sauce on my chicken”. After whining and throwing tantrums for half the game to get this sauce off my food, my problem was still not resolved and I had to eat the wings that now had cold red dripping sauce. After the first bite I realized that I liked it and went back for three more plates. It was a flavor that I had never tasted before, the sweetness and spiciness made my tongue feel like it was floating on clouds. Ever since then hot wings have been a part of my life. The food that’s meaningful and represent me the best are finger licking hot wings.

"Atlanta,Georgia,downtown skyline,dusk" by tableatny is licensed under CC BY 2.0

Being raised on the west side of Atlanta, the main food that gets advertised around my neighborhood is wings. Commercial, billboards, and verbal conversation constantly tell me to get twenty-piece wet hot lemon pepper wings with fries and peach juice or at least that’s what I interpret from them. Even though “Buffalo” wings were originated in New York, whenever I eat them my head sends me a message that reminds me of where I come from no matter where I am. I remember when I was a kid the joy of being able to order my own plate for the first time. “Umm. excuse me can I have hot wings,” I said with a smile from ear to ear. I didn’t even know the amount to get I was just ecstatic to order it. I eat other foods but it’ll never give me the same effect as hot wings. I believe that’s why it is so meaningful to me.

Hot wings are so meaningful to me that even when I travel I could not eat them from anywhere else. I remember when I went to New York and had the chance to eat at this wing spot at Times Square. At first, I thought it was a good idea but when I went into the shop I had this feeling of it wouldn’t be the same as the wings from home. Ever since then I never ate wings outside out Atlanta.

"Atomic Wings" by Shutter Ferret is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

A lot of individuals do not know the proper way to eat hot wings. They usually order a ten-piece hot wings and that’s where most people go wrong. See the correct way to order is to get ten-piece wet lemon pepper sprinkled hot wings five flats and five drums with dipping sauce of your choice. You get any side because all food is a good side with wings and you get peach drink. You ever heard of “save the best for last”? Well that’s exactly what you have to do, YOU HAVE TO EAT THE SIDES FIRST! The next step is crucial. After the sides, you eat the five drums. Well why do you eat the drums first why not the flats.? The flats are the best because there is simply more meat and sauce. The best way to eat them is to hold the sides, twist, pull the bone out, and stick the bone with the chicken in tack in your mouth bite down and pull the chicken off. After all is eaten you can finish the drink. These are the best steps to eat hot wings or any wings. Hot wings and I have a lot of similarities.

Hot wings have numerous amounts of flavors and toppings and whenever you think you have tasted the best something better comes. That’s just like me I have a big personality and when you think I can’t get any better there’s something new about me. In addition, the thing that is remembered about hot wings is the sauce. The sauce makes the wings what there. This is similar to me because my sauce would be my humor. I’m a humorus individual and most of the time I get remembered by being the funny person. Last but not least the best part about a hot wing is what’s within, the seasoning. No matter what sauces you add, the seasoning is what makes the chicken good. This relates to the humbleness and down to earth personality I have in me. No matter how funny I am, if I don’t have morals and respect I will be nothing and looked at like nothing. I believe these comparisons are reason as to why hot wings resemble me.

Hot lemon pepper wings will always be a part of my monthly consumption of food. I know that hot wings aren’t the healthiest meal and that they will affect my health in the long run but they have been a love of mine since I was younger and I will continue to eat them until a doctor tells me I cannot. After all, this dish always ends up coming around. For instance, in high school we had surprise wing parties and my baseball coach bought players wings if they hit a home run. I recognized that hot wings are meaningful to me in an abundance of ways such as flavor/personalities, memories, and a sense of belonging. Thank you for your time, but I’m next in line to order.