The foundation of urban and suburban life, the bodega or convenience store has become an essential one-stop shop for grabbing last-minute dry goods, snagging tasty (but not necessarily healthy) snacks and filling up the tank with gas. That is, until now.<\/p>\n
Reinventing the Quick Stop for a new generation, the Walsh Village Market follows a bright, airy aesthetic while aiming to serve as a delicious community hub for Walsh residents.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn small towns in Texas, the gas station is where you catch up on the neighborhood happenings,\u201d says Cameron R. Cook, the store\u2019s general manager. \u201cYou start the day with a cup of coffee and check your email. When the kids get out of school, they\u2019ll have a snack. (The Village Market) doesn’t feel like just a gas station\u2014it\u2019ll hopefully have a coffee house vibe, where people are encouraged to linger.\u201d<\/p>\n
Originally from Los Angeles (he got to Texas \u201cas soon as he could\u201d) with an accomplished foodie career, Cook spent 14 years working in the restaurant industry, starting with his first job as a teenager delivery driver for Prego\u2019s Italian Restaurant in Dallas. After graduating from Johnson & Wales University in Denver with dual degrees in Foodservice Management and Culinary Arts, Cook has held such disparate positions as bartender at Bishop Art\u2019s Bolsa, cocktail program manager at the now-defunct American Food & Beverage in Fort Worth, and general manager at Fixture Kitchen & Social Lounge on Magnolia Avenue.<\/p>\n
Approached by his former Bolsa colleague Anisha Mandol (a former business development manager for Central Market), who serves as the Market\u2019s culinary consultant, Cook joined the company with an eye to add a gourmet twist to the traditional stock.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re trying to offer more health conscious and responsibly produced products,\u201d he explains. \u201cWe\u2019ll have all the staples like M&Ms and Doritos and Milky Ways, but we\u2019ll focus more on craftier boutique brands like Mediterranean veggie chips, organic cheese puffs and local beef jerkies. We\u2019ve got classic sodas, but we\u2019ve got a whole door dedicated to Topo Chico, Pellegrino and La Croix.\u201d<\/p>\n
In addition to top-quality favorites such as Annie\u2019s Homegrown, Horizon Organics, Nantucket Nectars and Stumptown Coffee, the Market will also offer a range of locally made products such as Bearded Brothers energy bars, Mrs. Renfro\u2019s Salsa, and Texas Made Teas. The craft coffee brand Oak Cliff Coffee Roasters have collaborated with Walsh to do a private label version of their \u201cSunset\u201d blend, and residents can also purchase bags of their freshly roasted beans to brew at home.<\/p>\n
The Market\u2019s menu of grab-and-go meals is provided by the culinary delivery service Meyer & Sage, which is conveniently located down the road from Walsh. Devised by Chef Callie Salls and executive chef Lauren Cook (who happens to be Cameron\u2019s wife), the menu\u2019s twist on classics like turkey and cheese sandwiches and chopped chicken salads are designed to be guilt-free, healthy options for residents and visitors alike.<\/p>\n
With plans to add in extras like a bar supply rack for entertaining, wine and beer tastings and an expanded selection of Fort Worth-centric treats, Cook anticipates the Village Market becoming the nucleus of the Walsh development.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur ultimate goal is to be a cool hang out spot while offering the convenience of a local gas station.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Walsh Village Market is located at 13801 Walsh Avenue, across the street from the Walsh model home park and is open Monday – Saturday from 7 AM – 7 PM; and on Sundays from noon – 7 PM.<\/p>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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