ABOUT US

The History of the Market and Our Family

Pear Delicatessen & Shoppe has its home in the Champion Building, a building rich in Pike Place Market history and our own.  Built in 1928 for the Dollar Taxi Cab Company, this structure served as the garage for one of the first cab companies in Seattle;  this would later inspire the name of our gourmet hot dog stand, Taxi Dogs.  The cab company would eventually be acquired and become a meat packing facility.  During this time, chickens were raised on the roof, butchered in house and sold at street level after traveling down shoots from the third floor. 

In 1950, my grandfather, Robert Champion purchased the building and opened the first display and costume company west of the Mississippi.  As history continues, my mother, Cheryl Champion,  would meet my father, David Martin, in 1967 at an art gallery also in Pike Place.  They would marry in 1969 and a few years later have a daughter, myself.  I hold many fond memories of my childhood here, the market truly is my home.  And although, many businesses have come and gone, the building has continued to remain in my family for three generations, and hopefully in time, for many more.

Late in 2003,  as a family, we opened Pike Place Grocery & Deli, to reestablish a small store which had existed on the main floor of the building for over 18 years.  In 2005 Brian Jones, a notable Pacific Northwest chef, decided to leave the world of restaurants and try his style at creating quality food to go. 

With this new inspiration, the store began to evolve, and in March 2010, we officially changed the name to Pear Delicatessen & Shoppe to more accurately reflect who we are.  Brian and myself have become a team professionally as well as personally.  One could say we are the " Pear."  We continue to remain a family business and culinary destination in the Pike Place Market.  Pear is a place where flavor and family truly come together.