Dan Lechuza makes it a point to know his customers.
As the manager of the Antrim MarketPlace, the people who walk through the door of what used to be Wayno’s Market & Deli are more than just another face buying a box of cereal or pound of ground beef. These are the people who make the town’s only grocery store thrive.
Lechuza knows most customers by name and remembers what they frequently buy. It’s like a big family at the Antrim MarketPlace and that’s why people come back on a daily or weekly basis, forgoing larger options outside of town for that friendly, personal interaction.
“I know hundreds by name and even know their dogs name,” Lechuza said. “We talk about their kids, school, their jobs. They’re not just customers, they’re people.”
Lechuza has been behind the counter for more than a decade, so it’s no wonder that he knows just about everybody by name and even more by face. He wants to connect with them because that’s what working in a small town store is all about.
“We’re old America country store style,” Lechuza said. “And we can compete with bigger stores.”
George Davison has been coming into the store since he was a kid, when Wayno Olson owned it. He works at Antrim Lumber and is a frequent shopper.
“I come in for coffee every morning and usually lunch. And then I’m back at night for something,” Davison said.
It’s what he’s known all his life and has no reason to go somewhere else.
“It’s nice to have a good local store,” Davison said. “They’ve got good meat at a good price. A little bit of everything.”
It doesn’t hurt that customers can get just about anything they want at the Antrim MarketPlace. The big draw is the full-service meat counter, where Eric Myhaver has served in the role of butcher for the last 14 years. The market gets its meat in big slabs that allows Myhaver to produce just about any cut that customers are looking for.
“It’s a typical meat counter,” Myhaver said. “I don’t want to say it’s old-fashioned because there’s no swinging beef. That’s a thing of the past.”
The display case has a selection of steaks and marinated tips, while the cooler is filled with ground beef and sausage made in-house, chicken and pork.
In the same area of the store as the meat counter, Diann Lydon is getting ready for what always proves to be a busy lunch rush. During the week, she makes 24 burgers and at least a dozen hotdogs for those looking to grab something and go.
They also have soups, chowders and chilis and a hot food bar, with specials like meatloaf on Wednesdays and fish on Fridays. They do make-your-own sandwiches, which Lydon said is probably their best seller.
“We have regulars from [Monadnock Paper Mills] that come in, Antrim Medical Group and the school, and all the guys who work outside,” Lydon said.
They make a variety of salads – chicken, pasta, macaroni – along with dishes like American chop suey, shepherd’s pie and cole slaw.
The prepared food and the people are the draw, but customers keep coming back because it really has every option, as it’s larger than most stores in a town the size of Antrim. There’s a large wine area to choose from, along with a comprehensive beer selection that will fit just about everyone’s need. And of course, there’s bread, milk and eggs, cereal, chips and whatever else you can think of.
Denise Sullivan lives in Hancock, but she’s in the store a few times a week on trips to pick up her mail or get produce at Tenney Farms.
“I love shopping here. Their meat is great,” Sullivan said. “I shop by the day and it really fits my needs.”
Wayno Olson opened Wayno’s in 1959 and at the time was the second grocery store in town. It was before larger options were down the road in Hillsborough, but Wayno’s survived to become the only one in Antrim and in 2004, Juliet Ermidano took over as owner.
Antrim MarketPlace is open Monday through Saturday, 8 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. and Sundays, 8 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.