Gourmet Section

The Enduring Appeal (From page 103) book from her home or cell phone. But she can’t run an effective e-commerce site from the 150-year-old barn that houses her 2,000-square-foot emporium.

With reduced foot traffic during the pandemic, Wilmington Country Store carries fewer edible products than before. But local honey is always popular. “It’s a health thing; people believe it’s helpful for allergies,” Lankford explained. Cheese balls and dips also sell well. If traffic picks up the spring, as Lankford expects with warmer weather, she may restock the kettle corn and beef jerky that have done well in the past.

Her busiest time of year is September through the holidays, and Lankford thinks bad weather further depressed sales in early 2021. As the temperature warms,

Wilmington’s open-air farm attracts families with children, and Lankford is hoping sales will benefit. “Facebook is a huge help,” she noted. “People will see things on our page, and stop by to pick it up.”

At Forry’s Country Store in Lancaster, Pa., sales are rebounding for what before the pandemic had been a popular gourmet order — fancy meat and cheese platters. “People would order them for occasions, and now we’re seeing more and more of those,” noted Owner Ivan

Forry

Before the pandemic, Forry’s had already been battling declining sales due to competition from the likes of Amazon. “We’re still having trouble with suppliers for things like cheese and chocolate,” the retailer added. But a reliable clientele comes in for red licorice

What Is the Status Of Your In-Store Sales?

What Is In The Future?

ABit of Taste, a Seattle gourmet shop, used to pride itself on sampling any item a customer might want to try before buying. “It’s in our name,” said Owner Debe Franz. But COVID forced her to halt sampling for hygiene reasons. As more patrons are vaccinated and the pandemic recedes, Franz is planning contact-free ways to bring tastings back.

In-person sampling “was the reason to come into the store,” lamented Christopher Curtin, a master chocolatier who owns Eclat Chocolate in West Chester, Pa. But even as tastings have gone virtual — via Zoom and home delivery — the 800-square-foot outlet has seen only a slight dip in in-store sales, thanks to safety practices designed to make both staff and customers feel comfortable. In addition to requiring masks and installing plexiglass dividers, Curtin keeps two HEPA filters running to purify the air.

Hours are still shorter at Forry’s Country Store in Lancaster, Pa., and will remain so until the pandemic is officially over, said Owner Ivan Forry. But as the business climate improves, more customers are coming into the store for gourmet salads, deli sandwiches and ice cream. “At the pandemic peak, we were doing 12 to 15 curbside deliveries a day. Now we maybe do 12 a week,” Forry noted.

At the 2,200-square-foot Paris-Madrid Grocery in Seattle, Owner Sharon Baden sees a steady stream of patrons. “I think the in-store sales will continue to be strong. That’s still most of our business,” she said. ❖ and caramel creams, the top-selling candies, as well as local sauerkraut and ice cream straight from the machine.

Back in Seattle, the Paris-Madrid Grocery has benefited from a pandemic urge to splurge among gourmet shoppers. “Initially they bought a lot of wine,” said Owner Sharon Baden . Alcohol sales slowed after New Year’s, but sales of higher end meats and cheeses have soared. “I think it’s because a lot of restaurants have been closed,” Baden noted. As its name suggests, Paris-Madrid Grocery specializes in the flavors of France and Spain. Bestselling snacks include olives, roasted nuts, dried fruit, Spanish ham, and potato chips. On the sweeter side, “we have these chocolate-covered figs from Spain that are filled with a brandy ganache,” Baden said. Spanish honey candies, French nougat and flavored biscuits that go well with coffee or tea are also favorites.

Baden doesn’t deliver, but she’s done a lot more shipping and phone ordering in the past year. “We always had a website, but before the pandemic, people didn’t really use it,” the retailer said. “Now, our sales are up maybe 20 percent, and the website has driven most of that.”

McCutcheon’s Products Can Be a Perfect Fit for Retailers

As a family owned and operated business, McCutcheon’s has been making fine fruit products in historic Frederick, Md., since 1938. By the mid 1970s, McCutcheon’s was supplying farmers markets, roadside stands and country stores from Maine to Florida. Today, McCutcheon’s products are sold across the country. The reasonable cost, delicious taste and homemade look make McCutcheon’s a perfect fit for your growing business. McCutcheon’s also offers private labeling options.

(For more information, call 301-662-3261 or circle 28 on the reader service card.)