Pictured at St. Roch in New Orleans are Ted Duckworth and Breck Hines, codevelopers of The District at Eastover, with Ray Neilsen, a partner in Eastover Market.
JACKSON, Miss. —The District at Eastover announced Eastover Market, the state’s first food hall, will open in the development in spring of 2018, establishing The District as a true culinary destination. Eastover Market will be developed in consultation with the esteemed St. Roch Market of New Orleans, and will showcase a carefully curated collection of local, boutique restaurant concepts.
“We are excited to introduce the food hall concept to Mississippi,” said Ted Duckworth, co-developer of The District. “Not only do they offer a variety of quality dining options in one location, but when done well, a food hall creates a central gathering place with a very local, community-oriented feel. It’s always been our intention for The District to be both a community and culinary destination, and the addition of the food hall will enhance our role as Jackson’s City Center.”
Far from the food courts of yesteryear, food halls offer a mix of local, chef-driven concepts in one location where diners can expect a variety of artisanal, often upscale, dining options and overall first-rate experience. Food halls are a fierce trend in the U.S. restaurant industry that is turning to a mainstay. Drawing on the tradition of European food halls, the American take on the food hall first appeared in major cities such as San Francisco, Chicago, and New York, but more recently have opened in cities across the Southeast such as Birmingham, Charleston, Atlanta, Dallas, and soon, Raleigh.
St. Roch Market of New Orleans is a pioneer among the food hall craze that opened in a historic New Orleans building in 2014. Zagat has called St. Roch Market an “absolute must visit” and Travel and Leisure called it “one of the world’s best food halls.” Their formula has worked so well, St. Roch Market will soon expand to Miami, Nashville, and a second New Orleans location in the Warehouse District.
“When it comes to food halls, St. Roch Market is one of the best and has an unmatched record of success in developing food halls, as well as the talent of their vendors,” said Breck Hines, co-developer of The District. “When it came to a consulting partner in developing Eastover Market, St. Roch was an obvious choice and with this project, we hope to make a significant impact on the growth of Jackson’s culinary scene.”
Eastover Market will include eight diverse food and beverage concepts and a craft cocktail bar. For vendors, the food hall represents the ultimate platform to grow a food brand and build consumer exposure.
“We call it [St. Roch] the largest chef's table,” said Will Donaldson, co-owner of St. Roch Market. We take care of all of the business logistics so that our entrepreneurs can focus on what they're really good at and passionate about, their guests and the food. It's a rare opportunity to be able to interact directly with a chef, but that's exactly what our concept enables, and you end up with a really authentic dining experience. Each market takes cues from the neighborhood and local cuisine, but, in all locations, you can expect the same inviting atmosphere, simplicity of design, and excellent chefs”.
Eastover Market will be located on the ground floor of the BankPlus building. The 8,000 square-foot space will include both indoor and outdoor seating, and will be a frequent venue for meetings, events, and live entertainment. Construction on Eastover Market is planned to start later this year. Design of the space will be led by Canizaro Cawthon Davis of Jackson and Hatch Design Group of Los Angeles.
Those interested in being a tenant at Eastover Market should visit eastovermarket.com and fill out a tenant application.
Eastover Market joins an impressive lineup of businesses in The District including BankPlus, Origin Bank, Results Physiotherapy, and Cantina Laredo. Previously announced Fine & Dandy, Orange Theory Fitness, and Freshii are nearing completion and slated to open next month. The District at Eastover plans to announce additional dining and retail establishments throughout the year.
ABOUT ST. ROCH MARKET St. Roch Market is an integrated culinary and retail platform originating in the Southern U.S. It is inspired by the pre-prohibition era food markets that offered dining, shopping and entertainment in a single experience. Each market is a curated program of heritage chef-centric concepts, set before a large audience of taste-driven consumers. The flagship store in New Orleans, Louisiana features 12 food and beverage purveyors within a historical market structure originally constructed in 1875. Together, the purveyors represent the finest amalgamation of culinary start-up talent who have come together to offer an integrated culinary experience. St. Roch was quickly recognized in the national media as a “top 10” food hall destination. Learn more about St. Roch at st.rochmarket.com.
ABOUT THE DISTRICT AT EASTOVER The District at Eastover represents the best of mixed-use urban revitalization in the heart of Mississippi’s capital city. Conveniently located between Jackson’s historic Eastover and Fondren neighborhoods and adjacent to the I-55 corridor and the University of Mississippi Medical Center, The District offers a transformative destination characterized by boutique shopping, acclaimed restaurants, thoughtfully planned office space and luxury residential living opportunities. Learn more about The District at thedistrictateastover.com.