Among Eugene’s subtle skyline is a beige tower with a glowing red number 5. Shining bright like a beacon, it beckons those who pass by to enjoy the global flavors of the Fifth Street Market. Maybe the giant 5 should stand for the number of continents that are represented by the restaurants and shops inside the Fifth Street Market. Enjoy the tastes of Italy, Greece, Japan, Mexico and France. Embark on a safari of Swahili sights inside an African arts and crafts store.

Fifth Street Market wasn’t always the upscale international shopping destination that it is today. Constructed in 1926, the building served as a poultry business for Lane County into the 1970’s. In 1992, it opened as a market where local crafts people and farmers could rent booth space to sell their goods and produce.

On a wall in the market’s courtyard is a large mural painting of a farmer among baskets of fresh tomatoes, eggplants, chilies and bell peppers. It’s a reminder of the place’s storied past. There are dozens of red seats scattered throughout both the courtyard and the second story of the market but on a cold and drizzly winter day, all of them are empty. The fountain in the center of the courtyard makes a constant gurgling sound. Smooth jazz tunes float effortlessly through several speakers spread throughout the market. A blaring and harsh horn sound drones on for minutes as a train slowly passes on the tracks across the street. In one corner of the courtyard, a maintenance worker whisks away and the floor with a tattered broom.

There are curious relics of the past scattered around the market. One empty room for rent on the first floor holds only an old cash register made of worn out silver and a bright red Coca-Cola vending machine from the 50s. Like an odd couple without a home, they stand tall on the red checked floor of the deserted room as a symbol of mysterious nostalgia.

Walking into Marché Provisions for the first time can be overwhelming for some. On one side of the shop is an ice cream parlor with flavors like strawberry lemonade and passion fruit sorbet. Walk past the parlor and you’ll find a bakery lined with decadent cakes of all colors. Beside the bakery, a worker at a delicatessen sorts salciccia secaforte and jamon serano, savory dried meats imported from Italy and Spain. Flames flicker and dance in a brick pizza oven as a pizza dressed with artichokes and olives cooks to crispiness. On the other side of the shop are hundreds of bottles of imported wines from France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Germany and Austria. The aroma of candles, scented with rosemary mint and vanilla citron, lightly hang in the air. The shop is filled with many miscellaneous and quirky do-dads, like a box of matches with a picture of a man riding a bicycle and the words “Keep on Rolling” beneath him.

Outside of Marché Provisions and up a flight of stairs hangs a painting of University of Oregon track stars. The painting is reminder of Eugene’s pride and history even in a place of so many international influences.

Africa awaits up on the second floor in a store called Swahili. Swahili, a shop for gifts and home décor, blends traditional African style with a modern twist. Inside is a collection of intricate woven baskets, metal sculptures of giraffes and wooden elephant masks hanging on every wall.

Across the way from Swahili is a large indoor brick building with a diverse selection of cafés to eat at. This is the heart of the Fifth Street Market. Inside, paintings of picturesque Eugene houses hang above leather-seated booths along the wall. Fans on the ceiling spin by a system of interconnected rope pulleys. Here there’s something for every hungry patron. El Pato Café offers Mexican dishes such as crisp tostadas, enchiladas and burritos. Mediterranean food can be found at the white pillars along the counter of Café Glendi. Bite into a juicy artisan burger at Brick’s or head over to Ocha Asian Street Kitchen for flavorful Asian fusion.

Just outside the brick building is a tall red phone booth straight out of the streets of London. While the phone booth may seem strangely out of place and the phone inside doesn’t actually work, it is truly symbolic of what the Fifth Street market represents. In pop culture, phone booths transport people to different times or places. In that sense, just like a phone booth from the movies, walking into the Fifth Street Market transports you into a diverse landscape of global cultures and tastes. It’s both a refreshing escape from the Pacific Northwest style and yet an important image of an expanding Eugene downtown scene.