When his favorite breakfast spot at the Original Farmers Market switched from metal to plastic cutlery a few years ago, longtime regular David Freeman didn’t.

Instead, the Los Angeles writer brought a spoon from home. Once he finishes his morning coffee, he returns the spoon to the market’s tiny Coffee Corner to keep for him until his next visit.

An estimated 3 million people visit each year, drawn to a place that straddles stodgy and funky, hokey and hip. As it turns 75 this week, the market remains a place where the wary can hold change at bay.

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