Reading Terminal Market vendors closed after electrical issue
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Crews are hard at work to repair a blown transformer at Philadelphia's iconic Reading Terminal Market. Parts of the market have been without power since Wednesday afternoon.
It's something you don't see every day, a dark Reading Terminal Market in the middle of the day.
"Most of the stores are open every day so we were walking by and were like why is it so dark in here?" Eric Chen said.
A transformer blew Wednesday afternoon knocking power out to a third of the market.
Zach Treatman is the owner of Old City Coffee. They were roasting coffee when the power went out. His crew had to act quickly to get the coffee out.
"Averting a fire because the coffee was 480 degrees," Treatman said.
But once they were in the clear, Treatman says he saw his fellow merchants step in to help others out. He says some of the businesses that still have power stepped in to offer space in their refrigerators.
"We're a community here the market is a nonprofit organization and we're all working together to support each other," Treatman said.
Temporary closures have been reported for the following businesses:
- Butcher's Pantry
- By George
- Contessa's
- DiNic's
- Down Home diner
- Downtown Cheese
- Famous 4th Street Cookie Company
- Kismet Bialys
- Little Marrakesh Bazaar
- Little Thai Market
- Ma Lessie's Chicken & Waffles
- Market Bakery
- Mueller Chocolate Company
- O.K. Produce
- Old City Coffee
- Pearl's Oyster Bar
- Profi's Creperie
- Really Reel Ginger
- Sang Kee Peking Duck
- Sweet Nina's
- Tea Leaf
- Termini Brothers Bakery
"We are sorry for any inconvenience this may cause," the market said on social media.
Updates on when businesses can reopen will be posted on the market's website.
The outage is impacting over 20 stores in the market. The market was first built in 1892. The transformer that blew was nearly 50 years old.
"It's unfortunate. We appreciate people's patience," Kevin Feeley said. "We appreciate the patience of our merchants who've been impacted in this way."
The good news is that they expect the market to fully open Friday morning.
