I was sad to hear that Fresh Pond Market on Huron Ave. was closing. It was a nice little place and really convenient for picking up a few things after stopping at Formaggio just up the street. I loved the fact that the locals still had paper and pencil monthly accounts and the service was very old-school. This development posted by Marc Hurwitz on Boston Restaurant Talk could potentially be very interesting: I’ll be watching to see where this leads.
[September 11 update: Cambridge Day states that the owners of Formaggio have taken ownership of the space, and while it appears that the store will continue to operate as a market under their ownership, it is not known for sure whether the Fresh Pond Market name will remain. (Formaggio is a group of specialty food shops with locations in Huron Village, Kendall Square, and Boston’s South End.)]
Oh that is sad! That’s where we shopped when I was a kid and it was kind of old-fashioned even then. The butcher and the owner greeted all the customers by name (Mrs of course, no first names). We had a monthly account there. Last time I went in I recognized one of the owner’s sons and he definitely looked retirement age. As a young man he used to drive the delivery truck (you could call in a grocery order and he’d bring it, foreshadowing Peapod by many decades). One time he arrived just as age 5 me fell off the front porch and split my forehead open and he drove us to Mount Auburn Hospital so I could get stitches. Memories…
Their butcher was a hidden gem and my go to before MF Dulock opened. The counter didn’t look like much but they had a great selection. All it took was a call in the am and they would procure whatever you needed by the afternoon.
I have mixed emotions about Formaggio taking over the space. On one hand I am glad it will still be some sort of market and not a crappy chain. However unless Formaggio has a radical departure from their normal prices the market will be of little use to me. I spend enough at the cheese shop. We’ll see what they do with it.
Yes, my thoughts exactly! Shopping at Formaggio is an occasional indulgence, but the Fresh Pond Market was quite reasonable. If the selection is more upscale and exclusive, I won’t be there very often.
That said, I am relieved that it won’t be a bank or something similar.
What a lovely memory, Gretchen. It’s hard to imagine that the new place will be old-school, but let’s hope it keeps some kind of neighborhood vibe and some everyday prices.
