Greater Harrisburg's Community Magazine

Market Launch: Fresh Market brings Hershey residents, visitors new levels of food options

Last month, on a recent Thursday morning, a handful of people waited outside of locked doors for one of the most anticipated events in recent Hershey history.

In the warm morning air, the excitement was building.

On that day, Fresh Market at Hershey Towne Square opened in the former post office and abattoir, just behind the still-novel Hershey Towne Square restaurants.

Within a few hours, word had spread. By lunchtime, vendors were slammed, and many soon sold out of prepared foods. The buzz continued through a busy Saturday.

That debut was a soft opening of a dozen or so prepared food vendors on the upper level of the two-story market, which eventually will be home to more than 40 stands. When it’s fully open, the market will feature a mix of hot food stands, farmers’ market specialty foods and items for home cooking.

“I’m super-excited,” said downtown resident Olivia Haist, who was waiting for her order at Yianni’s Gyro, where the meats were sizzling over flashes of fire.

She said that she almost hadn’t walked to the market after a long day working at Hersheypark, but was glad she had.

“It’s great to have a lot of different options,” she said.

Options that first week included Kimchee Girl, ShreddRRz, Taylor Chip Cookies, Frederic Loraschi Chocolate, I&E Craft Kitchen, Foltz’s, The Vegetable Hunter, Midstate Distillery, Schmidt’s Sausage Shop, Yianni’s Gyro, Ever Grain Brewing, Freshido and Owl Hill Provisions.

Given Hershey’s strong Italian heritage, vendors saw an opportunity to bring other ethnic food choices to town.

Dylan Jorich of Schmidt’s Sausages said that the longtime area meat purveyor decided it was the perfect market for their paprika and garlic-flavored Hungarian specialties.

“It’s always good to expand,” Jorich said. “Hershey is booming with people everywhere—Hersheypark, storefronts, people out all times of day. It was a good opportunity to branch out and get our feet wet in a different area.”

Joyce Park Williams, owner of Kimchee Girl, echoed this idea, noting the diversity that the medical center, the Hershey entities and engineering firms bring to the community.

“There was a huge energy,” she said. “Everybody was so excited. I think people in Hershey have been waiting and waiting.”

Residents may already know Kimchee Girl from the pop-up stand on Saturdays at the Market on Chocolate. The Fresh Market stand will feature not only the homemade kimchee but hot prepared specialties like bulgogi and japchae.

Melissa Miller, executive director of the Downtown Hershey Association, likewise credited the enthusiastic response to folks eager to check out the new market they had heard so much about.

“Downtown Hershey has been anticipating the opening of the Fresh Market at Hershey Towne Square for over a year to bring in more traffic, and it has been exciting to see the other downtown businesses supporting and enjoying the many new food options,” she said.

Miller added that opening day was just the beginning of what shoppers will discover going forward.

“The Fresh Market has added 20 small local businesses to Hershey and will be adding another 20 more with the lower-level farm market with fresh seafood, nuts, cheeses, juice, produce and all-natural homemade dog treats,” she said.

 

A Great Idea

Downtown Hershey waited a long time before the vision finally started to come into focus.

The post office moved out of the former abattoir (a slaughterhouse from 1936) in 2015. Another developer was involved until RVG Management and Development came on board and opened the Hershey Towne Square restaurants and shops along Chocolate Avenue in late fall of 2018.

“We have a very eclectic group of high-performing small businesses that do what they do very, very well,” said Steve Dayton of RVG, who has been working to get Fresh Market off the ground. “We’re very pleased with our vendor selection. We’ve gone to great lengths to try to create the diversity that we have. It will be a unique market experience in Hershey.”

Kristin Messner-Baker, a Hershey native who now lives in Boiling Springs and is an owner of The Vegetable Hunter restaurant, said that her Harrisburg and Carlisle locations already kept her staff busy, but “we always wanted to come to Hershey.”

“When they asked us, we thought about it, and said, ‘Yeah, sounds like a great idea,’” she said, noting a need for a vegan restaurant in the area.

John Politsopoulos, owner of Yianni’s Gyro, saw the market as “a great opportunity to bring a little of our tradition into the Hershey and Harrisburg area.” He and his wife Amanda also operate John’s Diner in New Cumberland, but the market is their first “quick service” outlet. They plan to open another on Union Deposit Road soon.

One of the vendors that will open in the lower-level farmer’s market section is Amaranth Bakery of Lancaster.

“When I heard about the Hershey Fresh Market, I was really excited,” said Amaranth’s Erin Schram. “I love the concept of the food court as well as the farmers market, all in one convenient location.”

Schram said that the market offers something for everyone.

“Being a foodie myself, I can’t wait to try Kimchee Girl and Yianni’s Gyros,” she said.

Dayton stressed that the diversity of vendors sets this market apart from other area markets. He also acknowledged the location as a key to future success.

“It’s like beachfront property,” he said. “There are not too many locations adjacent to Hersheypark. We just happen to have one.”

Fresh Market at Hershey Towne Square is open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., Thursday to Saturday. For more information, visit www.hersheyfreshmarket.com.

 

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