The Pike Place Market was established in 1907 when Kent and Puyallup Valley farmers got fed up with the middle man vendors and drove their wagons up to the bluff overlooking Elliot Bay and set up shops. It has always been a polyglot of immigrants: Italians, Japanese, Cambodians, Hmong, and this Norwegian-American. Here is a concise history of the early history. My first encounter with the market was as a kid and a few years later in 1970 I began regular visits after applying for a job with Eddie Bauer, who at the time had just been purchased by General Mills. Eddie still worked at the factory on Airport Way South. I would work three days in product planning (Airport way with Eddie) and the new (and only) outlet retail store at 3rd & Blanchard two days a week learning the retail side. During lunchtimes, I would walk three blocks and queue up at the Athenian Cafe, run by Bob (with his black string tie) & Louise. A crab salad sandwich (with pickles and two olives) cost $1.75.
After graduating from the UW School of Dentistry in 1979, I returned to the Market to look for practice possibilities–there were two: The Economy Building–shown here at the end of the street, built in 1910, and the Champion Building at the north end of the Market.
The Champion family ran a party favor/novelty/magic shop. They had vacated this spot and John Clise, the property manager, recommended this or the Economy site. I asked John who the first floor tenants would be and he stated a fellow who wanted to sell only coffee. I told John he’d be out of business within 6 months and took the Economy site. Here, 55 years later, people from all over the world are lining to visit Starbucks store #1 (among thousands worldwide).
But my dental office is also still there, albeit under new ownership. I left the market exactly 20 years later in 1999 for the boondocks of Alaska.
Flowers sold by Hmong immigrants.
There are three principal fish markets: Pike Place Fish (where they throw the fish), Pure Food Fish, and City Fish shown here.
Pure Food Fish was run by Solly Amons and his family. He was a businessman an a patient. He was so well known, that when I walked down the streets of Paris, people would recognize him. He sold a lot of fish. 
Produce was the main reason farmers came to the market–there are dozens upon dozens of vendors selling everything one can imagine. I used to walk down this arcade after each day after dentistry and some of the vendors would give me bags or over-ripe peaches and the like. At noon, after lunch at Three Girls Bakery, would put on my apron and sell produce just for fun. 
Freshies.
And more freshies……
The arcade leading to the rabbit warren beneath the market–perhaps 200-300 shops.
Below the market arcade are hundreds of shops in a rabbit-warren of stairs ramps and cubbyholes. Too numerous to mention but often overlooked by the visitors. The PPM has the highest pedestrian count of any retail space in America, including Disneyland.
Upscaled Place Pigalle–now a French pub with a view. During my Eddie Bauer days, it was known by the locals as “Pig Alley.”
Today the Alaska Way Viaduct is gone. An ugly ferris wheel now dominates the scene and nearly blocks the beauty of Mt. Rainier. Ferries are larger and condos have sprouted up on nearly every possible location. When I first opened my practice, I could park for free under the ramps of the Alaska Way Viaduct and there was a gas station still operating by “Tiger” Avery, of tug-race fame (which I’ve raced in). Many local businesses fought this viaduct removal/tunnel replacement, but it was the best urban improvement made since the Denny Regrade and the salvation of the Pike Place Market. Progressive Seattle at it’s best. Stay tuned.