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Ben’s Sugar Shack products, including maple syrup and maple candy, are for sale at Maple Station Market, along with other grocery items. -
Shoppers browse fresh fruits and vegetables at the Maple Station Market on opening day. -
Ben’s Sugar Shack products, including maple syrup and maple candy, are for sale at the market, along with other grocery items. -
Ben Fisk stands before the miniature reproduction of his sugar shack, filled with his maple products, inside the larger Maple Station Market. -
Hot food and treats such as maple roasted nuts are available at the market.
The Maple Station Market in Temple opened on Friday to a packed crowd, coming to see the offerings of the new storefront.
The market is an offshoot of Ben’s Sugar Shack, also based in Temple, both owned by Ben Fisk. On Friday, the parking lot for the the Maple Station was full from morning through the afternoon for the business’s opening day.
“It’s been like this since 8 o’clock this morning – nice and steady, and a good local crowd,” Fisk said, as he walked around the market Friday, greeting customers. “Lots of support from the towns and locals. It’s a very positive day, and we’d gotten lots of great feedback. It’s great to see all our customers come out and support and make it a great day, today.”
The opening even included a stop by presidential candidate and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who visited the store following a campaign stop in Peterborough at Lionheart Classical Academy.
The store has a maple theme, and front and center in the market is a miniature “sugar shack” that contains all of Fisk’s maple products, including the maple candy and syrup he produces. The store also is intended to stock maple doughnuts and maple ice cream year-round.
In addition to maple products, the market also boasts grocery items, including fruits and vegetables, and local products from regional farms, including fresh meats, breads, dairy items, and a full-service deli.
As he walked down an aisle, Fisk pointed out how many of the products that will be for sale on the market’s shelves come from local producers, bakers or farms.
“There are tons of local products. We’ve got Orchard Hill, The Bread Shed from Keene, whoopie pies made locally, Wagyu beef from Mason, Old Homestead Farm in New Ipswich, Maple Nut Kitchen from Keene, Golden Girl…it keeps going on and on, and we’re always looking for more local products, too.”
The Maple Station received an occupancy permit for the front half of the building, which encompasses the market, but the rest of the building is still under construction. Eventually, the back half of the building will be used to run Ben’s Sugar Shack operations, including boiling syrup, bottling and packaging the syrup and candy.
Fisk said there’s no official timeline for the completion of that portion of the building, noting that it may have to be put on hold as he comes up to the busiest portion of his year – maple syrup season.
“We’ll start tapping trees here on the 26th, so that’s going to take priority over the other things,” Fisk said.
The Maple Station will be open Monday through Friday 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. For information about Ben’s Sugar Shack, the Maple Station or their products, visit bensmaplesyrup.com.
Ashley Saari can be reached at 603-924-7172 ext. 244 or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on X @AshleySaariMLT.