Millerton Mercantile offers groceries during pandemic

MILLERTON — When the Millerton Mercantile first opened for business last summer, customers were intrigued to have a new store in town, especially one that drew them in with such imaginative window displays and local products available for purchase. However, since the coronavirus pandemic hit New York, they’ve been eying the Millerton Mercantile as a source for fresh groceries. With the store’s curbside service up and running, customers can now stock their homes with fresh produce from the comfort of their cars.

Located at 3 Main St. in Millerton underneath Buddhi Tribe, Millerton Mercantile is trying to stay viable during the state-wide shut down. And Stephen Murphy, the nephew of store owner Lynn Caponera and the store manager, said there is definitely a need.

“Everyone really loves having a small little grocer in town again,” said Murphy.

A Millerton resident, Caponera decided she wanted to bring an old-time general store into the area.

“She remembered being a kid getting penny candy at the local stores and she wanted to do something like that,” he said.

Establishing the Millerton Mercantile in the business community took about two-plus months, Murphy added.

When asked whether the Millerton Mercantile is considered an essential business or as a non-essential business at this time of pandemic, Murphy said he was unsure.

“I would imagine more on the essential side since I am one of the providers of fresh food in the area, but that’s just my personal opinion,” he said.

Specializing in selling local products, the store offers a selection of wares crafted by local producers, from lotions and soaps to artwork and scarves. As a nod to Caponera’s childhood memories, jars of penny candy are available for purchase in the front room. There’s also a selection of handmade cards, bags of coffee, cheese and charcuterie, vegan meals and even skateboards. There are also local meats in the freezer.

Working from his previous experience as a chef in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, Murphy scouts local farms and producers open during the COVID-19 shutdown to offer a selection of food and fresh produce. The store has fresh produce from Rock Steady Farm in Millerton and Full Circus Farm in Pine Plains; it has 10 different flavors of honey from Saratoga Tea & Honey, including mango-infused, cranberry blossom and Italian lemon tree.

Murphy said the store plans to open up a small cafe and prepared foods kitchen on site, featuring soups, salads, BBQ and smoked meats once things calm down. He added that there are also plans to add more seating in the rear of the store and to install a small patio and herb garden in the backyard.

For the time being, Murphy said, “We’re just trying to bring in local products and local foods.”

And once everything normalizes, he said, he enjoys “always trying to do cool window displays — we try to keep the building looking as nice and pretty as possible.”

Since there is no proper supermarket in Millerton and residents are scurrying to stock up during the coronavirus pandemic, Murphy said that there has been a slight uptick in the demand for fresh groceries, especially bread, eggs and milk — all of which the Millerton Mercantile is happy to provide. At this time, he is working on a website for online shopping as well as a plan for delivering groceries in the near future.

For now, the Millerton Mercantile’s hours of operation run from noon to 6 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.

To reach the store, call 518-796-3694.