New Westside Market on Powell features food and goods from more than 50 Erie-area vendors

Jennie Geisler, Erie Times-News
Updated ·5 min read

Editor's Note: A previous version of this story misidentified Mill Creek Coffee Co.

A new market at 1119 Powell Ave. in Millcreek Township is selling food and goods from more than 50 local vendors and is bringing in more all the time. The market also includes a cafe led by Chef Justin Berkowitz, who is using the food from the market to create smoothies, salads, paninis and desserts served on site or to go.

Owner Amanda Hines, 39, who was a hair stylist for 18 years, had a beauty salon at the location of the new market. Her father, Robert Buzzanco, was tinkering with sustainable produce and got her interested. Five years ago, they started No Dirt Farms in Fairview, growing hydroponic produce, meaning vertically in fertilized water. Because it's grown indoors, the farm can produce year-round.

Father and daughter share concerns about the nation's food system, including the value of vegetables shipped in from California and overseas as well as grocery stores full of processed food.

"I had a dream to have a market full of locally produced goods," Amanda Hines said. "After a few years with the farm, I decided to bite the bullet and started working on that goal."

Her husband, Matt Hines, owned an appliance store next door to the hair salon. First they closed the salon and moved the appliance store into the salon space. Then, this past April, they started building the market in the former appliance store's space. Westside Market on Powell opened Sept. 15. She said the whole process took about a year.

Only Erie-region vendors need apply

The new market fills about 3,000 square feet, Amanda Hines said.

"We have as much local produce as we can," she said. "We get all kinds of different farms in here. We also have local honey, maple syrup, artists' art work here, health and beauty products, handmade soaps and lotion, vapor rubs and stuff like that."

She also features food and goods from regional food producers such as the Original Popcorn House, North Scoop Ice Cream, Gordon's Butcher & Market, Furhman's apple cider and coffee from Mill Creek Coffee Co.

"We own the rights to Brick House Coffee," Amanda Hines said, referring to the roast and blend that was sold at the former coffee house at 3741 W. 26th St., which closed this past spring.

More: Tops Market closing raises food desert concerns in Erie

Westside Market on Powell carries Amish cheese and butter, and features a bulk section with olive oils and vinegars, cleaning products and laundry sheets. They have a "zero-waste refillery," meaning you can bring your own jar or container, have it weighed, filled and pay for what it holds, which cuts down on the need for packaging. The market also carries a line of sustainable items such as those made from bamboo instead of plastic, reusable cloth paper towels and reusable bees wax food wrap.

They even carry locally made craft items such as earrings, macrame and wreaths.

Neighbors discovering westside market

Chris Scott, who said he lives in the neighborhood, was stopping in for the first time Thursday.

"It's something new and different and locally owned," he said while he was waiting for Berkowitz to make his Cuban panini. "The outside is attractive. It's nice to have a place like this, like you see in bigger cities."

Gabby Earll, who was also placing a food order, said she was walking by with a friend and stopped in because the hydroponic vegetables in the front windows caught her eye.

"So far, so good," she said about what she'd seen inside. "We stopped earlier this morning and had avocado toast and a salmon bagel. They were great."

Berkowitz said he was previously a chef at Lakeview Country Club and had his own catering business, Five French Fusion. He said he saw Hines' help-wanted ad on a jobs website.

"It was perfect for me," Berkowitz said, adding he knew the Hineses through No Dirt Farm, where he had sourced produce. "It's great to have fresh produce and know where it's from."

He said business has been steadily growing as people hear about the new store.

"The customers are awesome," Berkowitz said, adding he came up with the sandwich menu. "It's great I get to do this new thing."

Lisa Tirpak stopped in Thursday looking for something "good for lunch," and chose a yogurt parfait. While she was waiting, she looked around the store. "It's beautiful," she said, adding there should be more like it. "Every neighborhood should have one."

Westside Market on Powell's near future

"We have lots and lots of local products," Amanda Hines said. "And there's way more to come. This is just the beginning."

She was inspired to open the market due to her concerns about food and climate change.

"It just kind of evolved over time, after the farm," she said. "It was about what's going on with food system, how terrible it is, with everything loaded with chemicals."

She said that after No Dirt Farm was open and successful, people seemed to want more of what she was providing.

"The response to the farm was that people were needing more of it," she said. "They come in and say, 'No one's lettuce compares to yours,'" she said. "It's a great feeling. People feel good about what they're eating."

More: North East Bobamochi bubble tea shop opened in July, born of brotherly love

Amanda Hines said the impending season inspired some of the timing of her opening.

"We are amping up for the holiday season," she said, stocking gift items and grab-and-go meals, dinner options and more.

While they peruse the store, customers can watch videos depicting the vendors, helping customers learn more about where their purchases are coming from, and the families supported through the local goods outlet.

"People seem really in tune with that," Amanda Hines said. "We've had tremendous response from everybody coming in, saying 'This is what Erie really has needed.'"

Westside Market on Powell

Contact Jennie Geisler at jgeisler@timesnews.com. Or at 814-870-1885.

This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Westside Market on Powell features locally grown, produced food, goods