Lisai's Market - Bellows Falls, VT

Lisai's Market

Opened: 2010 in current location; 1924 previously

Owner: Mike Lisai

Previous Tenants: A&P (open by 1958, closed by 1976) > Grand Union (open by 1976) > Green Mountain Power > Cornerstone Pediatrics (2000-2010)

Cooperative: Associated Grocers of New England

Location: 128 Atkinson St, Bellows Falls, VT

Photographed: August 10, 2021

Lots of interesting things to note at this small independent grocer in Bellows Falls, Vermont! Let's start with the obvious: this is a centennial-era A&P, though of course an extensively renovated one. But A&P actually opened here before their 1859 centennial, opening between 1956 and 1958. It's possible this was simply a very early centennial, or a pre-centennial store that was remodeled during the centennial era. A&P closed no later than 1976, and Grand Union moved into the space subsequently. (Amazingly, it seems they must've kept most of the A&P facade, given how intact it is today.) I don't know when Grand Union closed, but then it became an office building for Green Mountain Power and then a pediatrics office. In 2010, 86-year-old Bellows Falls independent, Lisai's Market, moved in.

Lisai's moved from a tiny spot of just over 3000 square feet into this much larger store, even though it's only 10,000 square feet. (The original centennial was around 8200 square feet, making it one of the smallest.) Produce is in the front-right corner, and you can see where the expansion was with the slanted ceiling above. Milk, butcher, and deli are on the back wall, with frozen and dairy on the left side along with beer and wine.

Today, Lisai's is a member of Associated Grocers of New England and sells Food Club products from Topco.

Bread & Snacks are here in the front-left corner on the front wall.

One really nice feature is how Lisai's (or some previous tenant here) opened up the inside of the centennial facade for a higher ceiling over the front-end. That paired with the new windows is a nice feature.

In business since 1924 (and much of that time under the name Bellows Falls Cash Market), Lisai's has a lot of history in town. You can see a fair amount of that history at the front of the store with the historical photos posted...

...including these shots of the previous store, which was a Red & White.

This is a great combination of interesting history, a nice small-town supermarket today, and the continuing legacy of a longtime local business. Really fun to see in person, and even more fun to research the nuances of the background here. On Monday, The Market Report heads all the way up north to White River Junction for another fascinating store. Enjoy the weekend and see you next week!