Heirloom Market: Planting the Seeds for Friendship, Food, and Community

By Jenna TothNicole Bedard photosJessica Battista illustration

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Walking into Heirloom

Market at Comstock Ferre has an almost-almost-dreamlike quality. The walls are adorned with hand-painted murals; twinkling lights are strung from the ceiling; and the aroma of fresh pastries lingers in the air. According to the owners - husband and wife team Spiro and Julia Koulouris - the vision for Heirloom came to life almost by accident. “We moved to town, and we would come here when it was the seed shop,” Julia said, referring to the Baker Creek heirloom seeds that gave the company its name. “The upper level was filled with antiques that were collecting dust, and downstairs had a gift shop with a very eclectic mix of items that just never really made sense to us.”

The pair would often ask the staff if they had plans to rent out the space or expand upon it, with hopes of turning it into a Vermont-inspired country store. Sure enough, Spiro happened to be walking downtown

with their son when he popped in by chance. “I just happened to ask the right person, the right question, on the right day, which led to a series of phone calls, emails, and everything else,” he said about the experience. After flying down to the Baker Creek flagship store in Missouri, Spiro and Julia officially took ownership of Heirloom Market in January of 2016.

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...twinkling lights are strung from the ceiling; and the aroma of fresh pastries lingers in the air.

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In the three years since Heirloom has been open, it has grown into much more than a seed shop, blossoming into a hub for the community of Wethersfield. Spiro and Julia both knew that they wanted to do something with food, having come from a restaurant background. “The heirloom seeds had always been here, so we knew we wanted to incorporate a seed to plate concept into our business,” Julia said. “We decided to look into the grocery end of things and essentially open up a natural grocery store, but we also opened a little cafe where we sold coffee and a few baked goods.”

Within a few months, the sales in the cafe began far surpassing those in the grocery section. The public response to Heirloom’s organic approach to food is ultimately what inspired the Koulouris family to shift their vision into one that was heavily food-based, versus grocery-based. “We just embraced what the people were asking for,” Spiro said, “and also what was natural to our backgrounds.” Their menu now offers soups, sandwiches, and wraps, along with their original fare. Some of the most popular items include their avocado toasts, turkey sandwich, and a variety of seasonal soups, all of which are handcrafted by their chef, Jared Levin. At any given time, you can walk into the market and spot a group of friends enjoying lunch, or a couple talking over hot coffee and pastries.

The success of Heirloom’s cafe has prompted Spiro and Julia to start offering classes, events, and other activities, like seed starting parties, in their space. “Spring Fest was already happening when we took over, but we decided to keep it going, and each year it has just gotten better and better,” Julia said, referring to an annual event at Heirloom that features

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Spiro and Julia are creating a dynamic new history, and a sense of belonging, for this iconic locality.

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...no matter where y people come to mee

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ou live, this is the place t up with each other...

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live music along with local vendors and artisans. “We’ve even opened up the space for outside events like bridal or baby showers, and the success of that has been really overwhelming,” Julia said, adding with a smile, “I don’t even have any dates available in April!” The upper level of Heirloom is decorated with vintage furniture, all of which can be moved to make space for larger gatherings.

What are Spiro and Julia’s favorite things about the community they’ve created? “Running this business just reminds me of growing up, families knowing each other’s names, kids playing with each other… no matter where you live, this is the place people come to meet up with each other. It’s really become a hub,” Spiro said, sparking a sense of nostalgia. The Comstock Ferre property has been a historic part of downtown Wethersfield for generations; it’s clear that Spiro and Julia are creating a dynamic new history, and a sense of belonging, for this iconic locality.

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