In 1887 the neighborhood of
Mahane Yehuda was established on the north side of
Jaffa Road. It was founded by three business partners—Johannes Frutiger (a German Protestant and owner of the largest bank in
Ottoman Palestine), Shalom Konstrum, and
Joseph Navon—and was named after Navon's brother, Yehuda. At the end of the 19th century, a marketplace was established on an empty lot to the east of Beit Ya'akov and across the road from Mahane Yehuda which was owned by the
Sephardi Valero family; In the late 1920s, the
British Mandate authorities cleared out all the merchants and built permanent stalls and roofing. In 1931 a new section was built to the west of the market by 20 traders, who previously had only temporary wooden stalls in the area. It was later named the Iraqi Market, as many traders of
Iraqi Jewish descent acquired shops there. Today the Iraqi Market is located off Mahane Yehuda Street. seller arranges his wares. In the 2000s, major renovations were made to the Mahane Yehuda Market, including infrastructure work, repaving roads and covering some open areas. Changes driven by the Board included renovations to the streets and alleyways, but also included efforts to draw in cafes and boutiques that would entice more middle-class customers who might become frequent shoppers. , across from the Shuk. The sun clock pictured at the top of the building is the first clock in Jerusalem, erected with the synagogue building in 1909.|thumb In the mid-2000s,
Ethiopian food sellers began to appear in and around the market. In addition, a number of "trendy shops and cafés" began appearing among the market's retail stalls." New "non-Middle Eastern" restaurants include eateries such as "Pasta Basta," specializing in Italian pasta dishes, "Fish and Chips," described by one guide book as "the only fish and chips bar in Jerusalem," and "Ha'Agas 1," a vegetarian restaurant. Other recent additions to the market's stalls include an espresso bar, "hip jewelry" stores, and designer clothing "boutiques". Three new designer clothing stores opened in 2007 alone. vendor. Changes in the market have transformed the area into a "night spot," with bars featuring specialty drinks, live music, and singers. The shuk also now hosts special events like the "Balabasta" dance and music festival, launched in 2010, which attracts large crowds that remain until late at night, in areas that used to be deserted. While some supporters of changes to the market claim that the revitalized shuk has actually helped to revitalize the whole city, others are less enthusiastic about the changes, noting that real estate prices have quadrupled since the 2000s, forcing out many older shops (like vegetable and fish shops) that were staples of the market. ==Tourism==