MILLERTON — Plans to open a supermarket in the former Millerton Fresh Market location have been delayed again as co-owner Chris Choe prioritizes renovations at Sharon Farm Market in nearby Sharon, Connecticut.
Choe said on Wednesday, Sept. 30, that he no longer expects to open the Millerton store by Thanksgiving, a target date he announced in June.
He said plans for the renovation of the Sharon Farm Market on North Main Street in Sharon have pushed back the Millerton store’s opening.
“We want to finish Sharon first,” Choe said. “We’ll finish soon and then we’ll come here.”
The overarching plans surrounding the Millerton store are largely unchanged since this summer, when Choe first explained his plans to revamp Sharon Farm Market before carrying on with work in Millerton. Pending work in Millerton includes a replacement parking lot, new floors, bathrooms, a ceiling and furniture.
Choe and his wife, Kim, purchased the site of Millerton Square Plaza in November 2024. The pair then secured approval in April 2025 for renovations to the site including outdoor seating, exterior greenspace, changes to the parking lot and the building’s facade that have yet to materialize.
The first update on the store’s status this year came in June, when Choe estimated the supermarket would be open by Thanksgiving. Currently, the opening date is uncertain.
Among the planned renovations at Sharon Farm Market, Choe said, are replacement shelves, but he didn’t provide further details of the extent of the renovation or his estimated timeline.
Other changes at Sharon Farm Market include the departure of Jam Food Shop, a prepared foods vendor that occupied a counter and kitchen in the supermarket until Oct. 3.
Choe has brought in chef Michael Marineau to operate the kitchen following Jam Food Shop’s departure. According to his biography, Marineau has 36 years of culinary experience, trained at the Culinary Institute of America and specializes in Italian cuisine. Choe said a soft opening is expected this week, with a grand opening planned for November.
Choe alluded to the extent of the renovations planned for Sharon Farm Market without diving into specifics. He called attention to the age of the store and its interior.
“It’s a 17-year-old store,” Choe said. “We’re going to fix it.”
The business owner is also still working toward the sale of a store he opened in New Haven, Connecticut, in 2025. Choe said he is in talks with interested buyers but has not yet reached a deal.
Addressing questions about funding, Choe said he is still negotiating with the potential investor that is interested in partnering to overhaul the Millerton market.
The other storefronts in the plaza — the former homes of Riley’s Furniture and a liquor store — will also need occupants, but Choe said he’s in talks with prospects for those spaces.
Choe reiterated his commitment to plans for the Millerton store.
“We’re going to finish it up here,” Choe said. “Then stepping in with new life.”
Photo by Kirsten Edlund-Tunkel
