 At that time, though, a "Save the Market" campaign was launched, showing the market collectively had annual sales of $2.8 million and was the largest "soul food shopping center" in the country, providing specialty cuts of meat to a primarily black, low-income clientele.A group of banks issued a million-dollar loan to renovate and rehabilitate the Market, and it continued in operation.The City of Atlanta purchased the Municipal Market building in 1980, but sales continued to decline until Atlanta was awarded the 1996 Summer Olympics, bringing nearly $8 million for rehabilitation.