Pike Place Fish Market

The Pike Place Fish Market is recognizable by the rows of salmon, halibut, and Dungeness crab resting on crushed ice under a bright orange awning. It began in nineteen thirty as a modest stall, but its current reputation grew from a desperate decision in the nineteen eighties. To save the failing business, the owners hired a consultant who encouraged them to start throwing the fish. That decision turned the monotonous act of moving inventory into a show, creating the tradition that keeps crowds gathered on the sidewalk.