‘Cafe-Market’ soon to open by new village resident
So … have you ever had a pelmeni?
Let’s try again. Do you know what a pelmeni is?
Pelmeni are tiny dumplings that consist of a filling wrapped in thin, unleavened dough; pelmeni have been described as “the heart of Russian cuisine”.
Are you curious?
Well, the good news is that sometime within the next month you’re going to have the opportunity to try them, when Gracie Market opens in Highland Falls.
Gracie Market is formerly known as the Highland Falls Market, and prior to that was the long-time IGA. The store has been closed for more than a year, and while many may have thought it was just sitting empty, in fact there was a transformation going on inside.
The new “cafe market flex” will be opened this fall by Isaac Lee, now a Highland Falls resident who was born and raised in New York City. Lee is a Fordham University graduate who majored in International Political Eco-nomics. He’s been here about 18 months now, moving to the village when his mom, Grace Lee, had a stroke. She was the proprietor of Highland Falls Market previously, and with her husband Uijin, owns the building.
He began the renovations of the building in March.
The combination cafe and market is a common New York City concept, he said, that’s growing in popularity in the Hudson Valley.
The cafe/market will sell both groceries and prepared food items. But, it’s not going to be what you might expect.
The food items that will be sold are familiar items, but specialty — often locally sourced — brands. For instance, craft sodas and items made in New York State will be on those shelves, but expect to see a rotating inventory of new and interesting products.
“The first thing I look for at Trade Shows are Hudson Valley brands,” he said — “I consider those high end goods,” Lee said while sitting at a table inside the newly designed storefront. He’s just days away from peeling off black-out window coverings so that people can see the transformation inside. “We won’t be selling your typical Coke and Pepsi, or Heinz ketchup, but we’ll have similar items.”
Does that mean it’s going to be expensive?
“No,” Lee says. His goal is twofold — keep everything at an affordable price point, and never make people wait.
While his hot food menu isn’t complete yet, he knows that he will have sandwiches, bagels (from Long Island, they make the best, he says), empanadas, and the aforementioned dumplings. He’s also got hot pretzels and Belgian waffles on the menu — which both sound tempting for the cold winter days ahead!
He also takes his hot drinks very seriously, planning to offer espressos, lattes, teas, and, of course, simple cups of coffee.
“I’m really about being useful,” he said, “not just about being fancy for the sake of being fancy.”
While not everything is in place yet, he is starting to stock some of the store’s shelves — biscotti to go with your coffee, chips to go with your sandwich, and pasta and pasta sauces if you need the fixings to make a quick dinner at home, since he’s only planning to be open for breakfast and lunch.
“That’s at this point,” he adds. “It’s better to leave room to evolve … I’d rather add services and foods than start with them and have to take them away at a later date.
Lee is proud of a full shelf of hot sauces, and boasts fun finds like salad dressings, candies and quick snacks like granola bars.
After people make their purchases at the counter at the back of the store they’ll be able to sit and eat — with a great view of what’s happening on Main St., by the way — or take their purchases and go.
While Lee has minimal experience in the food industry, he’s spent much of the last 18 months learning about it. His mentor is his best friend’s dad, chef Alex Dzieduszycki, the co-founder of the Terra Chip brand; also a resident of the Hudson Valley, he’s stopped by several times to offer input on how best to run Lee’s new venture.
Lee is confident, and hopeful.
“I think that people will see the utility in the business,” he said, “and I want to become a place they stop every day for their morning coffee or quick lunch.”
As for his mom and dad, while they still live in the community, they don’t have a role in the business, but are “very excited for me”, he says.
Lee has an Instagram page for the cafe/market – @gracie.market. Soon he’ll announce his opening date and store hours. He plans to open with a ‘free coffee’ event … watch for it!