North Park’s New Public Market Previews This Weekend

A 6,000-square-foot public market-styled venue will make its debut in North Park this weekend. DAM Park (pronounced ‘DAHM’) takes inspiration from the progressive European city of Amsterdam but is rooted in homegrown San Diego businesses. The two-story building just north of El Cajon Boulevard will be home to a number of food and retail vendors plus two bars and an event space.

The project’s founders are Mark Hoffman, Jad Charafeddine, and Guillaume Ryon. Ryon, the owner of Le Parfait Paris which has a standalone shop in the Gaslamp and an outpost in Liberty Public Market, will plant another version of the French bakery here alongside new locations from Italian food specialists Buona Forchetta and Asian street food vendor Mama Made Thai. In addition to the eateries, DAM Park’s ground floor will also house a salon and barber shop, waxing studio and Da Boot Bar, a bar fashioned from the hull of a boat serving cocktails, wine and beer.

Starting this Friday, May 26, DAM Park will host a four-day soft opening party with food and live music that will raise funds for non-profit community organization Angels to Angels and provide the public with a preview of its offerings. When the North Park hub officially opens in a month or so, it will also include an upstairs bar called Daarboven which will feature gin-centric cocktails in a speakeasy setting and the launch of free-to-the-public events, including live music, comedy acts, art shows and movie screenings, as well as weekly pop-ups from local food purveyors.