The Little Market That Can: How the East Warren Community Market brought new life to the four corners

Library in Warren, Vermont, June, 2008.

Original photo taken by Doug Shick can be found here.

For longtime board of directors member Megan Moffroid, the East Warren Community Market feels like a child she has watched grow up over the past 12 years.

“I’m the last man standing from the very beginning,” she said with a laugh.

Over a decade ago, Moffroid and a group of community members were inspired to fill the former schoolhouse with a market that would cater to the needs of the community.

“There’s been a store in that spot for decades and we all live in that corner of Warren and it was sort of disheartening for it to be empty so we wanted to put a store there,” she said.

Defining the store proved difficult and there were a variety of ideas for what should be sold. Some pushed for strictly bulk items and volunteer workers while others wanted only 100% local products.

“There were a lot of ideas that came and went and in the end our decision was to open a store that we thought would really serve people first and foremost,” she said.

The co-op market is a full grocery store that has staples as well as local eggs, meat, produce and more. The kitchen also makes fresh  homemade meals daily.

The market hosts a number of different chefs who rotate almost daily which creates an ever changing menu, all managed by Lise Cloutier.

“We have a very busy schedule and it’s basically nonstop from the time you get there till the end of the day. It’s basically a nonstop production of food,” said Cloutier with a laugh.

Cloutier always had a passion for cooking, specifically farm to table and has found her place at the market.

“The local farmers that we support and buy from makes working there so much more fulfilling,” she said.

For manager Alycia Biondo it's all about the customers.

“I love the people. You see all the regulars and the people who are new to The Valley. It’s a really special place to interact with people daily,” she said.

Unlike many small businesses, the market’s customer base grew drastically as a result of the pandemic.

“It’s actually been interesting for the store because so many second homeowners and people flooded into The Valley from other places and then discovered the market because of it,” she said.

During the pandemic, the market created  a community fund to assist struggling local families following the influx in customers.

“Everybody just wanted to help so we collected funds and we were able to help families in need who may have lost their job or were just struggling to manage the dynamic of what COVID brought to their household,” she said.

In a town just shy of 2,000 people, this tiny market donated over $15,000 to local families. 

Kitchen manager Lise Cloutier refers to the East Warren Community Market as “The Little Market That Can- a title that suits the 600 square foot store well.