A Fun-Friendly Market

A look at the new market opening in Tremont Center.

BY ANNA RODMAN ’26

In July of 2018, local community store Huffman’s Market closed its doors forever after more than 30 years in business. That storefront is now being filled by a brand new store: Littleton’s Market. Littleton’s Market is being opened by Upper Arlington local Rob Littleton. Littleton and his wife, Susan, are both UAHS alumni, but moved away after graduating. When Littleton had an innovative new idea for a community market, he knew his hometown of Upper Arlington was the only place to build it.

“It’s the only community I know well enough,” Littleton said. “I’ve learned communities are very unique and so especially in this process I think we can fill a need in Upper Arlington.”

Littleton’s idea was to create a community market that could serve as a place for locals to gather. He’s included a small café near the entrance, as well as a food-service counter in the center with prepared food.

“[It’s] pretty much all-in-one, because it’s all united by food,” Littleton said. “You’re not just going into a standalone coffee shop, you’re going into a whole world of food.” He also plans to have a grab-and-go section for those who don’t have the time to visit the café.

However, the aspect of Littleton’s Market that has really caught peoples’ attention is the large pavilion he’s built in the middle of the parking lot. Littleton envisions his pavilion as a place for the community to gather and hold events.

“That’s why we built this here, because there were already so many events in the parking lot,” Littleton said. “Our marketers were actually like, ‘Hey why don’t we put a structure out there to have the events.’”

Littleton says his market was originally meant to open sooner, but got held back by multiple delays, such as supply chain disruption and the store being expanded by around 50%. Despite these setbacks, Littleton hopes to open before the start of the 2023-2024 school year.

“I really want to be done before you go back to school, and ideally late summer,” he said.

Littleton hopes to add to the sense of community in his store is locally sourcing his products.

“I think to really differentiate our market, the local thing’s going to help a lot,” he said.

Littleton is working with local farmers and other local businesses to provide fresh quality food for his shop. According to Littleton, many vendors at the local farmers market will have products available at Littleton’s Market.

“Lots of the people at the farmers market [have] stuff available in the store,” Littleton said. “We have a really good relationship with them so far.”

Littleton said the farmers market, previously held across the street from Tremont Center, will be moved to surround his pavilion.

Littleton didn’t start out in the food world. Following his graduation, he took a job at Cover My Meds and pursued a career as a manager of analytics. He initially became interested in food as it related to healthcare, seeing food through its health benefits. However, through the process of opening his store, he’s begun to appreciate food as something that can unite people within a community.

“It’s like starting something where it brings people together to enjoy themselves, and that’s the real health of food in a lot of ways to me, that it’s a community event,” Littleton said.

Littleton is excited to provide a sense of community and gathering to Upper Arlington that Huffman’s Market used to provide.

“That’s why they embrace this in a lot of ways I think: they wanted the sort of Huffman’s community feel back,” Littleton said. “So we’re a fun, friendly community market focused on high quality goods and a great experience.”