BY ELLEN NESBITT
North Country This Week

NORWOOD –While many people have turned to ordering groceries online and picking them up, Norwood business owners are banking on their community buying locally in-store again.

The Hometown Market and Deli started business this month and plans their grand opening week for Jan. 21-28. The Market is located at 58 Spring St., the former Perry’s Market.

John and Sue Fregoe, along with their daughter and her husband Amanda and Carmen Barkley, reopened the grocery store for their local community to have easy access to fresh produce, meats, and other goods.

The family members are no strangers to business. John and Sue also own the Hometown Café in Norwood, as well as the Madrid Hotel and Madrid Café. The Barkleys operate the Tipsy Tomato in Norwood, as well as the Main Street Market and Main Street Liquors in Madrid.

Amanda said that they expect to be relocating the Tipsy Tomato’s operation to the Hometown Market and Deli, utilizing the pizza oven that was installed when the store underwent an extensive renovation by Rick and Carina Gilchrist, who purchased the store from Sue Perry.

The store first opened in 1917, operated by E.J. Holt. His son Stanley Holt took over in 1937. It was then sold to Roy Kingsley in 1964.

The current store has an extensive deli, offering fresh made sandwiches and subs, deli meats and cheeses, muffins and breakfast sandwiches, as well as grab and go lunch and dinner meals.

There are produce, dairy and meat sections, along with non perishables, freezer selections, cleaning supplies, and a bulk candy area.

“The biggest challenge has been getting all the vendors lined up and products on the shelves,” Amanda Barkley said. “I’ve been running three businesses out of this space.”

“The community response has been great,” she added. “Although I think we could have opened just with our families coming to support us. We all live right here in the area.”

The market is open seven days a week, 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. They accept EBT and SNAP benefits and post their deli and other specials on their facebook page. The store can be reached at 315-353-2020.