Sharon Farm Market: 'Clean and quality!'

SHARON —  The surfaces were gleaming and owner Chris Choe’s face was beaming on Tuesday morning, less than 24 hours after the “soft opening†of the Sharon Farm Market on Monday at 1 p.m.

“The opening was very good,†he reported. The store and parking lot were packed. Several people came back for repeat visits; one family came five times, he said. “We were packed. It’s a good beginning.â€

The buzz around town was tremendous. Sharon residents made multiple posts online at facebook.com with photos and rave reviews. Many cited the cleanliness of the store.

“Clean and quality,†Choe said Tuesday morning. “That’s the way we’re going to keep it.â€

Choe and his wife, Annie, took over the store last February and had hoped to open it in summer. The extensive renovations took longer than anticipated, though. The Choes also took the time to find quality vendors to have mini-shops within the market.

Those vendors include  Center Plate Meat, Blue Sea Seafood, Toro Sushi (which will open in one to two weeks). Mizza’s will also open in another week or two; a new machine is on its way for making brick oven pizza on site.

Lee Kennedy and Alex Elliot of Sharon moved their Jam fine foods boutique out of its space on nearby Calkinstown Road and now have a bakery and deli at the Farm Market. The Chef Shop in Great Barrington is selling kitchen supplies.

Shoppers said they were pleased to see not only an extensive selection of fresh produce but also shelves full of staples. Prices were also deemed to be affordable.

There were already some “sale†items. Butcher Linc Jones said he and his wife, Susan, said they will offer high-quality low-cost meats by eliminating the middle man.

“We’re all very excited to be here,†Lee Kennedy said. “We’re very enthusiastic and hope that this is going to be a great place.â€

Dee Dee (Donovan) Mandino, whose family owns the shopping center, said, “We are so excited for the Choes and everyone involved in the community who has helped with this. We think it’s going to be a wonderful store.â€

The Choes owned and operated four  grocery stores  and the Midori Sushi Restaurant, all on Long Island in New York.

They moved to Amenia over the summer. Their youngest daughter is attending Webutuck High School; they have three children.

Joseph “Skip†Trotta, who owned Trotta’s market, has been helping the Choe family set up the market.

The Sharon Farm Market will be open Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., until Mizza’s opens, then the hours will extend to 9 p.m. Sunday hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

For more information, call 860-397-5161 or e-mail sharonfarmmarket@gmail.com.

Cynthia Hochswender contributed to this story.

Latest News

Water main cleaning in North Canaan

NORTH CANAAN – Aquarion Water Company today announced a water main cleaning project in the company’s North Canaan system. The project is scheduled to take place from Monday, April 1 through Tuesday, April 16, and is being undertaken to ensure customers in North Canaan continue to receive the highest quality water.

The cleaning for April 1 and April 4 (subject to change) will take place on the following streets:

Keep ReadingShow less
Robert Cray’s soulful blues coming to Infinity Hall

Robert Cray

Photo provided

Blues legend Robert Cray will be bringing his stinging, funky guitar and soulful singing to Infinity Hall Norfolk on Friday, March 29.

A five-time Grammy winner, Cray has been inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame and earned The Americana Music Awards Lifetime Achievement for Performance. He has played with blues and rock icons including Albert Collins, Muddy Waters, John Lee Hooker, The Rolling Stones, Tina Turner, Eric Clapton and many more.

Keep ReadingShow less
Cabaret comes to St. Andrew's in Kent

George Potts

Photo provided

Music in the Nave will again tap into local talent April 6 at 7 p.m. when its features George Potts in an intimate cabaret concert in the St. Andrew’s Church parish house.

Pott is a well-known figure in the community, both through his presence in the perennially popular Fife ‘n Drum, the restaurant started by his father-in-law, renowned pianist Dolph Trayman, and through his own career as a folk musician.

Keep ReadingShow less