Hamilton family to open new grocery store in heart of Barton Village

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Published April 23, 2021 at 7:30 am

A new grocery store is setting up shop on Barton Street with the goal of offering fresh, affordable produce and food staples to the community.

When Barton Lettuce, located at 337 Barton St. E (right next door to Crumbled), opens on May 1, it will mark a new chapter in the lives of a young Hamilton family.

The shop’s owners, Alexandra and Matthew Sinclair, came up with the idea for the grocery store after living in the north end neighbourhood for close to six years.

“We like the idea of living in a walkable community,” Alexandra told IntheHammer.

“There wasn’t anything like this in the neighbourhood, and we thought, ‘you should be able to walk to get your fruit and vegetables.’”

The Sinclairs’ primary aim is to provide an accessible means for members of the immediate community to get fresh produce and staples without having to rely on a car.

“We want to keep the price points as low as we can,” Alexandra said. “We’ll be sourcing produce from local farmers as much as possible.”

The launch of Barton Lettuce has been well over a year in the making, with the couple dreaming up the idea after years of having to seek out their fresh produce outside of their own neighbourhood.

The young family of four lamented the lack of options within walking distance of their home to find fresh, simple ingredients for cooking.

“We try to eat as much fresh fruit and vegetables as we can,” Alexandra said. “And we thought if this is something we want, other people must feel the same.”

Alexandra credits the fulsome support of the Barton Street BIA with helping them make their dream a reality and the sense of community among local business owners and residents with bolstering their determination to open the family’s first business.

“I’ve always wanted to open my own business and it feels really good to be a part of this community,” she said.

Barton Lettuce will have a soft opening in a couple of weeks to keep the number of people to a limit but the hope is that in the not too distant future a bigger celebration of this milestone will be possible.

So as the Sinclairs put the finishing touches on the shop, they’re also looking to hire a store assistant, who will be paid a living wage, Alexandra said.

Those interested in applying for the role can do so by reaching out via email at [email protected].

To follow the shop’s progress and for more information, give Barton Lettuce a follow on social media or check out their website(which is still under construction).

https://www.instagram.com/p/CN7yahEniIu/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link

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