Peter’s Weston Market Announces Closing; Although Busy Yesterday, “It’s just too late”
A sign thanks Peters Market yesterday as news broke of their permanent closing. The deli was busy yesterday as many rushed to order their last Dirty Bird sandwich. According to a social media post yesterday, Peter’s Weston Market (190 Weston Road) will be closing their doors this weekend after 49 years in business, serving generations of Weston residents and Northern-Westport residents. Staff members, longtime customers, and volunteers were emotional when discussing the news; “this is the community” one person said while pointing at the staff behind the deli counter.
Owners cited a decline in income and increase in costs, saying “Over the past 5 years our sales have declined 10% annually though expenses have increased” through a Facebook post. In a last ditch effort to save the family-owned business, owners created a GoFundMe campaign on April 2nd, 2020 - one month after businesses around the world were shuttered due to the unknown of COVID-19.
As a community card was put up outside the store, “Thank You, Peters” wrote Weston fourth grader Sean Wallace. located across the street from the Weston schools, the market was a popular after-school spot for many of the town’s youngest residents. The GoFundMe garnered over $120,000 in donations from community members and longtime customers, which were instrumental in keeping the employees paid and the market operational when doors could open once again. However after several years of financial hardship, the pandemic was the final nail in the coffin as the supermarket had fallen behind in financial responsibilities, and was left without anymore options. “Some of these employees have been here for over twenty years - where will they go? He [owner Jim Magee] loves them and has always taken care of them.” Another said as they prepared orders.
In a world dominated by contactless, hyper efficient, and autonomous shopping - Peter’s Weston Market appears to be yet another victim to the growing popularity of online shopping. This is not the first business to close in Weston Center due to increase in online competition; Weston Hardware & Housewares, just across the parking lot from Peter’s, closed nearly two years ago. From behind the register amid a closing sale, the owner said then “People want quicker. We can’t compete anymore.” The storefront now serves as a fitness studio.
The small town-centered market will leave a large hole in the community, “Everybody wants things a few cents cheaper, but they’ll never get this” a volunteer said. Over one hundred people shared their upset through comments on social media, one Facebook comment described their remembrance of the little details of the quirky store, commenting “All those Thanksgiving turkeys ordered in the notebook with the curled pages and ink splattered notes will be remembered with love.” Others thanked the owners for their support of the community’s foodbank, or for serving their families through power outages or major storms, and for giving local kids jobs in a town with very few options. “Peter’s was part of the fabric of Weston. No matter what gets replaced in the future (if anything), there will still be a piece missing and missed.”
It’s unknown what will replace the market, but it’s well known that their staff, food, and even the curled pages of their notebooks will all be missed dearly come Monday morning. The store was packed yesterday as news of the closing broke, “but it’s just too late” a staff member said with tears in their eyes.