SEYMOUR – An international grocery store/deli with a mom-and-pop vibe opened for business Wednesday (June 24) in downtown Seymour.
Tu Marqueta Deli, which owner Jose Ortiz said means ‘your local market,’ opened in the AutoZone Plaza at 7 First St. in a space that previously housed a martial arts studio.
The family-owned and operated store offers a full meat counter, fresh produce and everyday basics like Ronzoni pasta, cases of Pepsi and Lays potato chips. But it’s the international offerings highlighting Dominican, Jamaican, African and Japanese flavors that fill many of the shelves in the roughly 3,400-square-foot space.
Ortiz, who originally hails from the Dominican Republic and moved from the Bronx to Connecticut some 40 years ago, said opening the store in Seymour is like a dream come true for him.
“I was looking for a quiet area like Seymour,” Ortiz said. “We have three other stores in Bridgeport and Fairfield, but we wanted to bring something different to this area. We have a little bit of everything for everyone and specialize in food from other countries. This is your market, your grocery store, because the customer comes first and is our greatest support.”
One of Ortiz’s sons, Justin Ortiz, said he’s excited to be in the new space.
“America is very diverse and we have a little bit of everything to offer our customers here,” Justin Ortiz said. “We never dreamed this would happen for us, but my dad is a jack of all trades and can do anything.”
Justin Ortiz said once the store is up and running at full speed in about two weeks, the family plans to open up the deli counter, offering breakfast sandwiches, deli sandwiches and more.
He said the store, which employs about a half dozen people, will be open seven days a week, opening at 9 a.m. daily until 7 p.m. for now.
As far as competition from other stores, Seymour has just one big box grocery store located nearby on Franklin Street, and that’s Stop & Shop. But the Ortiz family is confident shoppers will welcome their wide variety and unique selection of groceries, whether it be the crunchy plantain strips, sweet breads, large variety of Goya beans or fresh Chorizo.
“We’re not trying to compete with anybody and at the end of the day, we’re just trying to make a living,” Justin Ortiz said.
During a ribbon-cutting ceremony held Wednesday, Seymour First Selectwoman Annmarie Drugonis was happy to welcome the Ortiz family to town.
“We have a lot of pizza places, we have a lot of Chinese take-out places and we have a lot of nail salons, but we don’t have anything really different like this and this is a specialty store for sure,” Drugonis said. “You can get a Jamaican soda and so many different things here. I think this place is going to do very well in in Seymour.”
Brianna Girard, a member of the Seymour Board of Selectpersons, was also on hand for the ribbon cutting.
“There’s a lot of different foods here that we don’t usually see in your local supermarket and the specialty items are exciting,” Girard said.
Valley Chamber of Commerce President Bill Purcell said with the Valley’s demographics changing, a store like Tu Marqueta Deli is a welcome addition to Seymour.
“It’s very well-stocked and it’s beautifully merchandised and the family is great,” Purcell said. “The demographics are changing throughout our Valley. You can see it in the restaurants coming to the Valley. You name the culture and we have it.”
Ginny Baldino, of Southbury, was picking up her clothes at the laundromat next door and said she was excited to see the new store open.
“I think it’s wonderful for the community, and it’s great for the area, we need it,” Baldino said. “I think it’s a homerun.”