Mexico City’s Public Markets Are in Danger of Disappearing | Eater

"Located in a working-class neighborhood, this market typically closes early in the evening but has begun participating in a city program that keeps some stalls open late on the last Friday of each month. On those noches de mercados a handful of vendors stay to sell produce and dry goods, with salsa music playing and children in the aisles, but the atmosphere can still feel thin—many stalls remain shuttered and vendors mop aisles as business slows. Long-term decline is blamed on the rise of supermarkets and malls that accept electronic payments and food vouchers, a barrier for market customers since most stalls cannot take vouchers; vendors say digital-payment integration and lower commission fees would help. Despite scarcity of customers, stallholders such as a veteran produce seller remain hopeful, citing family resilience and the potential of the initiative to bring more foot traffic." - Madeleine Wattenbarger