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 The hottest new place to visit in Portsmouth is -- a grocery store? Customers
have been flocking to Philbrick's Fresh Market in what was once a Stroudwater
Bookstore off Route 1 in Portsmouth. Without a lick of advertising, owner's Phil
Philbrick and Vickie Turner find their new market the toast of the town.
Philbrick's Fresh Market
775 Lafayette Road, Route 1, Portsmouth, NH
Open Mon-Sat 8am - 8pm, Sun. 10am - 6pm
(603) 422-6758
We don't usually recommend a grocery store as a tourist attraction, but Philbrick's
Fresh Market is unique. Without a lick of advertising the homey high-end market
was packed with shoppers all through its opening weekend.
We found company president Phil Philbrick caroming around the 20,000 square foot
market like a pinball. This top-quality market has been his the long time dream
of the Seacoast entrepreneur. His borther "Captain Jon" supplies the fresh fish
(older brother Rod is a well known novelist). In-store vendors offer gourmet meats
and baked goods. The prepared food deparment has its own chef and kitchen. Prices
are legible. A receptionist greets cusomters at the door and the owner actually
speaks with the customers.
A mother standing near the fresh sushi area told her duagher, "I'm just going
to stay right here, dear -- forever!" Store workers sport trim outfits and striped
aprons. Ecstatic shoppers stopped for long conversations about the arts and politics.
Cooks in clean white uniforms offered samples of fragrant Indian cuisine, wine
and imported cheeses. The kick-off event seemed more like a theater opening than
Sunday afternoon shopping.
We cornered Phil and co-owner Vicki Turner for a quick portrait in the produce
section. They had not slept or stopped to eat in three days, Phil said. A woman
with a shopping cart hugged them suddenly and emotionally repeated, "Thank you,
thank you, thank you!" The store, apparently, has an deeply appreciative clientelle.
The store is conspiciously devoid of glaring lights, shelves full of candy and
junk food, magazine racks, kitchenware, cheesey muzak, impulse items and tacky
store displays. Instead Philbrick's Fresh Market is decoarated in live plants
and flowers. Thre are wide aisles, well designed exhibits and fascinating specialty
products. Locally grown and manufactured food products are featured in special
exihibit areas. As the store evolves, Phil says, inventory will shift based on
cusomter requests.
So you can catch a movie, visit historic sites or shop for fresh food in Portsmouth.
It's a new kind of family entertainment. -- JDR
Click for MORE Philbrick Market Photos
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