Since 1875, St. Roch Market has anchored the corner of St. Roch Avenue and St. Claude Avenue — surviving fires, hurricanes, and reinventions while remaining the neighborhood's gathering place. Today, thirteen independent vendors carry that tradition forward under the same roof, and many of the same cast iron columns, that have sheltered this community for a century and a half.
1861
The Columns Before the Market
The most striking architectural feature of St. Roch Market — its towering white cast iron columns — has a story that begins here, at the New Orleans Free Market. Opened August 16, 1861, at the foot of Canal Street, the ornate cast iron building was originally built in 1859 as a water works station and repurposed during the Civil War to provide free goods to struggling families amid economic depression and widespread hunger. Though the Free Market closed after Union troops captured New Orleans in 1862, the building stood until its demolition in 1874. The columns survived — and found a new home.
1875
The Beginning
St. Roch Market opens on May 1, 1875, as an open-air public market at the corner of St. Roch Avenue and St. Claude Avenue. Originally known as Washington Market, it quickly becomes a vital gathering place for the surrounding neighborhoods — a tradition that endures to this day.
1930s
WPA-Era Renovation
During the 1937–1938 Works Progress Administration era, the market undergoes significant renovations. The salvaged cast iron columns from the demolished Free Market are installed, becoming the building's most iconic feature — an enduring symbol of the market's strength. The renovated structure gives the market the form it will carry for the next seven decades.
1970s
Lama's Market
By the 1970s, the building operates as Lama's St. Roch Market Seafoods — a neighborhood institution in its own right. Hand-painted signs advertise crawfish, oysters, shrimp, and crabs to passersby. The market remains a cornerstone of the community, feeding generations of New Orleanians fresh from the Gulf.
2005
Hurricane Katrina
Hurricane Katrina devastates the market along with much of the surrounding neighborhood. The building is stripped to its bones — exposed framing, scattered debris, graffiti on the brick. But the original WPA-era columns stand firm. Like so many New Orleans institutions, the spirit of St. Roch Market endures, waiting for the day it can serve the community again.
2012 – 2015
Modern Transformation
After years of planning and renovation, St. Roch Market reopens in 2015 as a contemporary food hall — reimagined for a new era while honoring its historic roots. The restored building keeps its WPA-era bones, original columns, and neighborhood character while welcoming a curated collection of independent food vendors under one roof.
2023
New Leadership
Kevin Pedeaux — owner of Coast Roast Coffee (CR Coffee) and one of the market's original vendors since 2015 — steps up to operate St. Roch Market through Market Staples LLC. His deep roots in the vendor community and the neighborhood itself bring a new chapter of sustainable, community-focused leadership.
2025
150th Anniversary
St. Roch Market celebrates a remarkable milestone — 150 years of serving New Orleans. Thirteen independent vendors now call the market home, each contributing to the vibrant culinary landscape that defines the neighborhood. From Cuban sandwiches to Burmese curries, fresh-pressed juice to craft cocktails, the market is more alive than ever.