Sibley Square Welcomes Variety of Food Vendors in Downtown Rochester
BY BRIANNA HAMBLIN
When you go to the Sibley Square building in downtown Rochester, you'll find a variety of new food vendors ready to serve you a diverse array of food and drinks.
The “Mercantile on Main” food hall is officially open Monday. There's a variety of options, including a coffee shop and Indian food.
Some vendors have already been serving their customers. The goal behind the project is to give people affordable and healthy food options downtown.
Owners of the Italian and Hispanic blend deli Palermo's Market say they've gotten a ton of support even while opening during a pandemic, and they hope the food hall will be a bright spot in Rochester after a difficult year.
"They have so many different things set up here because it was built around COVID,” said Erika River, co-owner of Palermo’s Market. “So it's been a great transition for us, and we're always open to ordering online which helps people feel comfortable. So it's been great for us."
"It's so much more than a business endeavor for us. It's not about making money. The money's going to come. It's about helping Rochester come back together,” said Co-Owner Ramon Arguinzoni. “It's been a rough year and in a lot of ways we've all been hurt a little bit or broken by COVID and so many other things. So we hope that when you come in here and eat some good food and meet some more people you'll be a little more whole than when you first came in."
People can park on Main Street for up to 15 minutes or be reimbursed for parking at the nearby parking garages while grabbing their meals and drinks.