Rhode Island
GoLocalProv | Business | A New Grocery Store is Opening in Rhode Island – With a Special Twist
Monday, June 05, 2023
Celeste King Bremer — and her brother, photographer Brenden King — are opening the new store this month. PHOTO: Brenden King
There is a new grocery store opening in Rhode Island, with a focus on specialty — and local — foods.
“May’s Gluten Free Market” is slated to open in the Riverside section of East Providence in June, focusing not only on gluten-free products, but also vegan and allergen-friendly products — and local produce.
GoLocal spoke with store owner Celeste King Bremer, who along with her brother Brenden, decided there could just be a market for families and individuals seeking out what can be hard-to-find products — all in one place.
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“It might be risky, but I don’t know of anything like it anywhere around here,” said Bremer, of the market located at 7 Forbes Street. “What I do know is that when you’re shopping for gluten-free food, you’re willing to go the distance.”
For Bremer, whose daughter has Celiac Disease and whose son is also on a gluten-free diet, it was her personal experience that led her to open the store.
“I am tired of shopping in five different grocery stores,” said Bremer. “As an adult, you can figure it out, but it’s not fun to do that either. You go to one store and they’re out of one item, and then another store, and they’re out.”
More About Store
When Bremer and her family decided they would open the specialty food market, the first order of business was to start deciding what items to feature.
“We started making the list of what we like and following more people,” said Bremer. “I realized we would need a store the size of a real supermarket.”
The shelves are stocked and the store is days away from opening. PHOTO: Brenden King
Bremer said that while local foods would be featured prominently, she will also seek out foods from across the country that oftentimes can’t be found in other local grocery stores.
“We’re keeping tabs on smaller [businesses] whose products might not be availably locally,” said Bremer, who said her own trial-and-error attempts at trying national products played a role. “I was spending so much money on shipping. I’ve wasted a lot of money on products that aren’t that great.”
The market also has a prepared foods license — and Bremer’s own culinary experiences growing up will play a major role, she said.
“We’re half Japanese, and a lot we do is inspired by our upbringing,” said Bremer. “My dad’s a big cook, my sister’s a big cook; we lived in Louisiana for a bit, so you’ll find a lot of Asian and cajun-inspired dishes.”
Bremer said that the store is not only more than just a “specialty market,” that people might be surprised to learn that a lot of products they might like can be gluten-free.
“We’re featuring a lot of local produce,” said Bremer, who said they are partnering with the Pawtucket-based company Seymour Foods. “We’re going to work with a lot of local farmers.”
By casting a wide net, Bremer said they also hope to draw in a wide range of shoppers.
“We’re hoping the neighborhood will stop in,” said Bremer. “There’s a lot of things we’ll have like chips and crackers and hummus. I think people are always surprised like wow, this is gluten-free.”
Currently, Bremer and the team are working out the gluten-free culinary kitchen at Hope & Main in Bristol — and if you want a preview of what’s in store, you can currently find them at The Guild in Pawtucket each Friday.
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