Winthrop Marketplace - Winthrop, MA

Winthrop Marketplace
Opened: 1999

Owner: Frank Carideo

Previous Tenants: unknown

Cooperative: none

Location: 35 Revere St, Winthrop, MA

Photographed: April 22, 2023

New England definitely has a lot of independent supermarkets. There are plenty of areas of the United States where your only choices are Walmart and Kroger, and don't get me wrong, there are plenty of small New England towns that have only a Hannaford or only a Shaw's. But independent grocers also thrive in New England, which I mentioned on yesterday's visit to Chelsea's Stop and Compare.

Here in Winthrop, in fact, the only store in town is the little independent Winthrop Marketplace. And if you thought Stop and Compare was tiny at 8000 square feet, try Winthrop Marketplace's 5900 square feet. Still, it's a full-fledged supermarket without a doubt -- and a very nice one at that.

You enter to the produce department in the front-right corner. Meat and deli/bakery line the back wall of the store, with frozen foods and dairy in the last aisle on the left side. There's also baked goods in the last aisle, as although this store doesn't have a service bakery counter, I do believe they bake in-store.

There's an almost farmstand feel inside (and outside) the store, which is pleasant and fun. This supermarket has only been in business since 1999, but the building is much older than that. I couldn't find any previous tenants, and the building's exterior is nondescript enough that it could've been anything -- grocery store or not.

This store is supplied by C&S and uses Best Yet storebrand products, as most of the independents of New England do.

I love the brick, wood, and big windows. The store feels bright and airy, despite being small. Incidentally, Winthrop is an isolated peninsula just east of Logan Airport and East Boston/Orient Heights. It's just barely connected to the mainland by a very thin strip of land (and check out the Boston skyline to the right in that street view).

Below, I'm standing in the front-end looking towards the rear of the store. Unfortunately, I don't have a picture of the last aisle where dairy and frozen are, but you can see it to the left below.

And a look across the front-end. You can also see that this store's interior manages to feel familiar and old-school, while looking quite new and shiny. (Check out how nice that floor looks!)

This is the only supermarket in Winthrop, so it's a brief visit to town, and tomorrow we're going to make a very quick stop in Revere before taking a break!