WEST CHARLESTON — During a recent lunch hour at Rte 105 Market & Deli, patrons filed in and out steadily, ordering sandwiches, grabbing drinks and catching up with one another at the counter. For more than a year, the building had been sitting empty.
The store, formerly known as Scampy’s Country Store, closed in November 2024. It reopened March 1 under new management after Alysha Grenier leased the space and rebranded it.
Grenier, who worked at the store during high school, said she had wanted to open a food business for years.
“I grew up in this town. I know practically everyone that lives here. I have a great community, and I wanted to bring warm, fresh food to them,” she said.
Early results suggest the demand was there. Grenier said the store sold out of 20 pounds of roast beef and 40 dough balls in its first two days of operation.
For Grenier, the response has been about more than sales figures. She said the outpouring of support from residents in Charleston and surrounding towns has reinforced how much the area needed a local option for food and basic groceries.
“This community needed it. There is nothing around here. There is nowhere to eat unless you want to travel to Derby,” Grenier said. “Derby has great food, but if somebody just wants a gallon of milk or a carton of eggs, a trip to Derby is not ideal.”
The deli menu includes pizza, sandwiches and salads. The store also sells coffee and runs a taco bar on Tuesdays.
Bucky Tardif, owner of a local plumbing company, said he was glad to see the doors open again.
“I love it. Great food and great people,” Tardif said.
Rte 105 Market & Deli is located at 1155 VT Route 105 in West Charleston. Winter hours are 6:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 6:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday. Grenier said she plans to announce summer hours soon.
Updates are posted on the store’s Facebook page.
Scampy used to work for my grandfather, Joe Racine..lived right across the street..remember the dance hall upstairs…