Uploaded on 2019-02-12 by Mark Stepsis

Black Rock is a rare walkable neighborhood in Bridgeport, CT. This one story structure is located in a residential-only neighborhood about a block or two away from the main commercial street in Black Rock. It houses the Harborview Market, a locally-owned and staffed breakfast and lunch gathering place. Since it is in an otherwise exclusively residential area and it lacks any identifying signage, it is easy to mistake it for a residential dwelling. It predated current zoning laws which would otherwise prevent commercial businesses in a residential district. Therefore it s an anomaly in the normal American single-use context. So the first piece of 'invisible information' is the historical reason for the unusual location of a business. The second piece of invisible information is that the Harborview Market serves as a true community gathering place. Inside are broad wooden tables which invite shared seating that promotes conversation among strangers who are also neighbors. People come with books, newspapers, and computers to hang out with friends or by themselves. It is rare in the USA to have a community gathering place accessible by foot for an entire neighborhood. Such a vibrant local place helps tie the neighborhood together.