By Danielle M. Crosier, Vermont Country Magazine.
BENNINGTON — On any given day of the week, the Bennington Community Market is abuzz with chatter and activity, sweet and savory treats, a diverse range of locally produced artisan products, and fresh from the farm produce. The place is literally teeming with eclectic goods, activity, and life.
Just past the entranceway are the large bakery cases, the main counter area, and the coffee bar with its smiling and welcoming barista, Autumn.
To the left of the entranceway are shelves of hand-crafted artisan goods and beyond that, the piano and the brightly lit Community Cafe – with its many tables, wide open floor plan, hot food bar, beverage coolers, and deli – and, in the far back, is yet another large (and more secluded) seating area.
The menu itself is eclectic and full of spirit.
The “John Stark” breakfast sandwich, “Seth Warner” burrito, “Remember Baker” avocado toast, are a nod to historical figures. The “Bennington Battlefield,” “Mile Around Woods,” and “Catamount Tavern” salads are all local favorites, and tip of the hat to some of the area’s greatest landmarks. And, menu items such as the “Picnic at Park McCullough,” “Tubing Down the Battenkill,” “Woodford Woodchuck,” and “Glastenbury Gobbler” recall favorite local pastimes and locations. Ranging from $8 to $14, the sandwich prices are quite reasonable. Daily hot food specials are also available.
A new online ordering system is in the works, said Manager Natasha Garder Littrell, so that customers who are in a hurry can simply grab and go. And, while the grab and go option is indeed convenient, the majority of those who visit the Community Market come with the purpose of socializing, visiting with staff – and savoring both the food and the company.
“My staff has quite the following,” laughed Garder Littrell, who does not mind the staff taking time out to sit down with an acquaintance or two between customers. “Customers come in just to see them – and that’s good for business.”
It would be unusual for these spaces to be devoid of activity. On a typical day at the Community Market, the place is a hive of activity with a steady stream of neighbors meeting and greeting neighbors; townsfolk hosting get-togethers; planned and impromptu business meetings being held; college professors and students working on their laptops; children playing or coloring near the large windows; organizations gathering to host events, like the heavily attended weekly Baby Cafe; those grabbing baked goods and coffee, grocery items, and take-home dinners; and tourists milling about – wondering what on Earth they have stumbled into.
That is just half the story, though.
To the right of the entranceway are the wine racks and beyond that is the grocery space. Additional tables line the window area, tucked behind the grocery isles. On the far back walls are coolers of dairy, produce, meats, beverages, and more.
But, this is the story – supporting local farmers, artisans, and food producers; increasing access to wholesome fresh foods; and building a vibrant downtown community is at the very heart of what the Bennington Community Market offers.
Together with Andrew Healy, the Community Market’s AmeriCorps VISTA resident, the staff work to ensure a quality experience.
For Healy, stocking the market space, and seeing firsthand what it offers, is inspiring in a number of ways.
Looking around, he indicated an artisan wooden cutting board near the cheeses and specialty-sourced charcuterie meats. Next, he pulled two locally hand-crafted pizzas out of the nearby frozen foods case, holding them up.
“These are perfect for a date night. Just grab two pizzas, a bottle of wine, and some crackers and cheese and enjoy an easy, chill, date night at home – with really top quality food,” he said, switching over to other interesting items that the Community Market offers.
“For example, I just did a social media post about this Golden Rule Mead – it’s really neat, and it’s made in Vermont,” said Healy. “And – the way I describe the taste is it’s kind of like kombucha, like it tastes healthy and you really can’t taste the alcohol in it. Then, the really interesting thing is that it’s made with local, top of the notch honey, to the point where you can taste the pollen in it – it has almost a floral-like note to it, which is really interesting. And each bottle is unique. They have different types, like one where they infuse it with black tea and maple syrup. But, even two bottles of those will taste a little different – because it’s all depending on the honey and the exact time in which it’s made. It’s all small batch.”
For Garder Littrell, items like Golden Rule Mead are “just one of our local and hyper-local products that we sell here – because we support over 100 local food makers and farmers by selling their products here – and, it’s just a really nice change of pace from everything else that’s out there.”
This makes the experience of stepping into – and perusing what the Community Market has to offer – a truly unique adventure.
“I think it’s really obvious, when you walk in the door, that we are here to support local food makers and local crafters, and with offering them a space to sell their products,” Garder Littrell noted, adding that the staff of the Community Market also assists with navigating some of the challenges that small crafters, growers, and makers often face. “And, with local producers, we’re not adding a huge margin – we’re trying to keep the prices low to support them.”
“We also offer them a space for free in the Farmers Market, which is a business incubator – a way for crafters and for small food producers to learn. earn, and grow,” said Garder Littrell, adding that the experience is always an education for the vendors as well as the shoppers, as each of the vendors have things to share – from tips and tricks to tastings and samples.
Additionally, they learn from one another as they come together to form “a community of makers.”
The shelves of the Community Market’s grocery and dry goods area are stocked to the hilt with jams and jellies; preserves in a multitude of varieties; maple syrups, creams, and sugars; an array of raw and infused honeys from various local producers; soaps, lotions, and potions; hand poured candles; hot sauces and condiments; granolas, snacks, cookies, crackers, and chips; chocolates and coffees; pet treats and supplies; and so much more.
The coolers are stocked with the freshest of meats and cheese – all delivered directly from local farms, and sold in vacuum sealed packages. The dairy cases hold fresh eggs, butters, keifer, yogurts, and skyr. The produce coolers offer a wide variety of mushrooms, greens, root vegetables, cabbages, peppers, onions, shallots, leeks, tomatoes, fresh berries and fruits – and the list goes on.
Even the beverage cases, filled with everything from juices to kombuchas to craft beers (including a gluten-free craft beer) hold to the mission of promoting and supporting local and regional makers.
“In Dry January, Töst sold really well. Actually, it has always sold well, and it’s a local Manchester product,” said Garder Littrell, laughing, as she indicated the display which was located next to the craft beers and other beverages. “Actually, I haven’t met anyone who doesn’t like Töst – and whenever we do a catering event, we serve it. It’s just really popular.”
Read more about Töst in this special feature.
And, the wine racks at the Community Market are extensive in their collection.
“These,” said Garder Littrell, smiling, “are curated by Vermont Wine Merchants, who are my favorite kind of vendor. They come in and set up the display. They give me all the little promotional information pieces. And, they do tastings.”
Garder Littrell said that she once asked them to do a quick and easy symbol on each card – indicating what meat the wine might pair well with – a request to which they readily complied. Garder Littrell indicated the images on the wine cards – a chicken, a pig, a cow, etc. “This is simplifying it for the customer, and at the price range – I mean, they have good bottles of wine for $9.99. I grew up with wine, and I’d be very happy with any of these.”
“And, then, there’s Watson Wheeler – a champagne-style hard cider from Sandgate,” Garder Littrell added. “They have arrangements with the National Forest Service where they’ll take care of their orchards in exchange for being allowed to harvest apples. Then, they turn them into different varietals – with these hand-drawn labels.”
Toward the end of winter and heading into spring, the staff of the Community Market are getting ready to say an official goodbye to winter and hello to spring. Together, they are preparing a series of food-related lunches to celebrate community. Starting each Sunday through March 29, the kitchen will be cooking up a storm with menus that feature both American and Global recipes. But, this is just one of their many endeavors.
While Garder Littrell is excited to share her mom’s favorite roast chicken with rice, turmeric cauliflower, sauteed spinach, and shallots, Healy is especially interested in an all-you-can-eat pancake and crepe extravaganza. He recalled his first introduction to crepes, in which his girlfriend introduced him to a holiday tradition from her home country in which those present celebrate with savory and sweet crepes – while ushering winter out and spring in, “[It represents] saying good riddance to winter,” he laughed
The lunches will be served family style at the Community Market, priced at $15 per person, and Garder Littrell welcomes everyone, “Come meet your neighbors,” she advised. “Drink tea, chat, and try new foods as we shun these freezing temperatures and dream about the spring.”
As the seasons begin to shift, and the welcoming and renewing spring temperatures melt the ice and snow, the staff of the Community Market are ready to shift along with it.
Plans for the weekly outdoor markets have already begun.
“We’re really continuing to focus on our mission to support local farmers and local small food producers, the artisans, and the farmers markets,” said Natasha Garder Littrell.
The farmers markets at the Community Market run throughout the year. Held indoors on every other Saturday throughout the winter months, the Farmers Markets return to an outdoor schedule of every Saturday for the spring, summer, and fall.
With activities for young children, a wide array of vendors, fresh local produce, educational programming, tastings, and live music – the events are alive with music and activity – and the vendor goods are plenty and diverse.
Throughout the rest of the week, the Bennington Community Market will remain a hive of activity for locals, who gather in the Community Market Cafe area to meet with friends or coworkers, hold a meeting, or simply enjoy good food and atmosphere.
The Bennington Community Market is located at 239 Main Street in Bennington. More information is available at https://www.benningtonmarket.com/.
Danielle Crosier is a landlocked mermaid who found her way to Vermont by accident. She is a wife and mother, a former technical writer (10 years), former educator (19 years), and glass artisan with a background in marketing and strategic management. Her interests, though, lie mainly in studying and understanding systems and improving the lives of those around her. She also loves spending time with her precious children and their significant others, organizing, learning about social geography, creative endeavors, experimenting with various cuisines, and exploring the world around her.
