PROFILE
Putnam Market's decadent pastry case
Putnam Wine, next door to the market, offers 800 distinctive varieties.
Putnam Market
This specialty retailer in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., is a packed feast for food-loving locals and visitors to the country's oldest racetrack.
BY ROBYN PFORR RYAN L
ocated on the busy main street of historic Saratoga Springs, N.Y., Putnam Market is tagged by its owners as the best food and wine store between Manhattan and Montreal. The store's success reflects the two owners' approach to business: spending the time needed to find the right foods—great-tasting with great ingredients that customers won't find elsewhere—and a deep commitment to continual improvement.
The Setting
Putnam Market is a packed feast for food lovers. The store features a decadent dessert/pastry case with gourmet cupcakes, truffles, cakes and other treats. Wire shelves are packed with premium goods such as olive oils, simmer sauces, chocolates and granola. A counter serves as the hub for the busy lunch business with three homemade soups each day and signature stuffed sandwiches, a self- serve entree bar, and a case of inviting cheeses selected from around the world. The market offers cooking classes and catering. Next door, Putnam Wine offers about 800 distinctive wines person- ally picked from the top winemaking regions of the world. Total sales for 2011 totaled $2.7 million.
50 ❘ SPECIALTY FOOD MAGAZINE ❘ specialtyfood.com PUTNAM MARKET
Putnam Market 435 Broadway
Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 518.587.3663 putnammarket.com
YEAR ESTABLISHED: 1995 TOTAL AREA: 5,300 square feet RETAIL AREA: 3,500 square feet STAFF:
19 full-time, 4 part-time
Owners Gloria Griskowitz and Cathy Hamilton
PHOTOS: ROBYN PFORR RYAN
