Sweet Auburn Curb Market primed for upgrades

Catch up quick: Designed by famed architect A. Ten Eyck Brown, the building is a postcard-perfect picture of Atlanta's history and a great space where entrepreneurs build brands and followings.

• The Atlanta Woman's Club raised the money to construct the building to replace an open-air market that sprouted after the Great Fire of 1917, according to a Georgia State University history project.
• During segregation, Black people were allowed to shop in the market but could only vend outside from the curb, according to Eater.

In March 2023, the city auditor said the market's management company was charging below-market leases and not fulfilling its mission as a small-business incubator.

Fun facts: Grindhouse Killer Burgers, Arepa Mia, Bell Street Burritos and Tom Murphy of Murphy's, the Virginia-Highland stalwart, found their footing at the market.

State of play: On Thursday, Invest Atlanta, the city's economic development arm, approved up to $775,000 in funding for vendors. That money would go toward booth design and construction, small business improvement grants and technical assistance.

• The city is contributing another $500,000 to assist with capital improvements, according to the Invest Atlanta factsheet (PDF).

Watch: A short film by historian and writer Katie Carter King documents the market's history and role in the community.