Owner Bryce Caldwell at Freshy’s Local Market
Love to eat local, sustainable, and organic – or how about just simple, delicious food? We have great news for you.
Freshy’s Local Market is now open and carries 75% local and organic seafood, meat, produce, and much more.
The 2,500-square foot, farm-to-market grocery store is an expansion of the Freshy’s location in the re-purposed gas station just down the street, which has been re-branded as Freshy’s Seafood Shack – now primarily a dining location.
Freshy’s is owned by Bryce Caldwell who is passionate about finding the best and freshest food from small producers:
We are building on the runaway success that we’ve enjoyed at our original Freshy’s Seafood Market. At the new ‘Freshy’s Local Market,’ shoppers will have many more choices of fresh, locally sourced, organic foods. Food will be traceable to its origin. One example is artisan cheeses from Golden Glen creamery in Bow, Washington. They raise the cows. They make the cheese. Another example is oysters from Willapa Bay and Deep Bay. Our staff will shuck and pack them on ice to enjoy at home.
Freshy’s Local Market serves Mercer Island as a treasure trove of fresh, locally sourced fish and meat that on-site professionals will cut to customers’ needs. Locally sourced organic produce and dairy will be everyday items.
Beers, from outstanding small local producers, are available to fill growlers from eight rotating taps. For perfect meal pairings, Washington state wines and sake´ line an entire wall.
Want local truffles and caviar? Farmstead cheeses? You’ll find them at Freshy’s Local Market.
Freshy’s Local Market – where food is truly local
To answer the growing demand for fresh foods that are minimally handled and minimally transported, Freshy’s Local Market sources its products from Grays Harbor, Pacific, Skagit, Pierce, Snohomish and King counties. Meats and seafood are mostly from Western Washington and Oregon. Local fishermen deliver clams and salmon directly to the market. A local growers’ co-op supplies the organic produce.
“We’ll have a wide variety of in-house-made salads, sauces, and soup-bases. For fans of Hawaiian poke, we’ll have numerous choices at our self-service poke salad bar,” Caldwell shared in a statement. “We are adding beef jerky, pepperoni, prosciutto and sausage to a charcuterie selection that also includes smoked salmon, salmon jerky, salmon candy, and salmon bacon.”
Convenient and welcoming
Freshy’s Local Market can be found at street-level retail in The Hadley – a newly opened apartment building one block south of the current Freshy’s Seafood Market. The grocery’s interior is reminiscent of a northwest beach scene with sand-colored driftwood trim and stained floor that brings to mind a day at the seaside.
Concerned about parking? There are 54 short-term customer parking spaces located within The Hadley apartment building.
Freshy’s Local Market, Freshy’s Seafood Shack, and Freshy’s Seafood Market – A short history
The Freshy’s Local Market team | Left to right: Tim Heally, Jason Maloney (Store Manager), Nick Barrera
In 2010, Caldwell repurposed an abandoned gas station cordoned off by chain-link fence into Freshy’s Seafood Market. In doing so, he revitalized a forgotten street corner into a Mercer Island mainstay.
Year over year, Freshy’s revenue has grown 14 percent. Caldwell started with just 2 employees in 2010.
Today he has 14 full-time employees.
He invites the Mercer Island community to check out the new Freshy’s Local Market. For lunch or dinner, head over to Freshy’s Seafood Shack, which showcases an expanded menu of cooked-to-order and take-home items like fresh steamed crab, oysters on the half shell, hamburgers, fish and chips, grilled seafood tacos, and Po’boy sandwiches. Caldwell is also planning to enlarge its casual indoor dining space.
About Bryce Caldwell, Freshy’s owner, visionary, and local and sustainable food advocate
Caldwell was born in Ilwaco, Washington, and grew up in a family of commercial and sport fishermen. When making a career change seven years ago, Caldwell returned to his roots. First, Caldwell became an independent seafood broker. A year later, inspiration struck, and he opened Freshy’s Seafood Market and restaurant. Much of the seafood and shellfish sold at Freshy’s is sourced from local fishermen Caldwell has known for 30+ years.
Freshy’s – one of our 15 favorite places on Mercer Island
Freshy’s also makes the Sirianni Group’s 15 favorite places on Mercer Island list. Here’s Charlie’s take:
Freshy’s Local Market is located at 2601 76th Avenue SE and is open daily from 9 am to 9 pm. Learn more about Freshy’s at www.freshysseafoodmarket.com
