The Bodega Market and Café , located in downtown Huntington, offers a variety of wine, beer, groceries and deli food. The new shop opened Feb. 2.
Owners Susan Ballard and David Beckett are originally from Huntington.
Ballard said she moved to Florida in her late twenties where she attended culinary school and continued down the food path by working in numerous aspects of food service.
“Four years ago, I came back to Huntington for a visit, and I ran into my first boyfriend (Beckett),” Ballard said. “We caught up and realized that we had so many similarities. He was a chef, and I was a chef.”
After maintaining a long distance relationship, Beckett convinced Ballard to move back to Huntington.
“We just talked about different things that we would love to see downtown,” Ballard said. “I was super frustrated with missing Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods, all the upscale stores I shopped at in Florida.”
When the space formerly known as Pet Palace became available, they turned it into a gourmet market and cafe, making out of the box sandwiches.
“The colors are a nod to my 25 years in Florida,” Ballard said. “It also is a nod to freshness. All of the colors remind me of fresh food.”
Sara Pe, Marshall University senior graphic design major, said she was enrolled in workshop, a training class that pairs students with actual clients around Huntington.
“The clients bring us whatever design problems they have and we help them along,” Pe said. “The owners of The Bodega were directed to us by a friend to have us help them with their logo.”
Pe said she worked with her professor to brainstorm ideas. They settled on a circle with tree branches and leaves in quadrants that represent the four seasons.
After completing the logo, Ballard and Beckett hired Pe to help them out with social media and artwork around the shop.
Ballard said the first week the shop was opened was a success.
“We were humbled by how we were embraced,” Ballard said. “We were embraced so tightly the first week that we had to close down due to not having enough product. We didn’t anticipate so many people. They were lined up on the sidewalk, but it was a good problem to have.”
Ballard said they look forward to continuing to expand their menu and grocery options.
“I’m really excited about getting more and more local products because people are more willing to spend money by supporting local businesses and farmers,” Ballard said. “I hope to kindly and gently educate about shopping local and how important it is to keep the money in your community.”
The Bodega Market and Café, is open 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and is closed Sundays.
Sofie Wachtmeister can be contacted at [email protected].