LANCASTER – Keller Market House manager Erin Harvey said the business started with a spare room and an idea eight years ago.
The business, located at the corner of South Columbus Street and West Chestnut Street, has enjoyed success for many years. On Thursday, the board and staff even celebrated the expansion.
The expansion took several years and was funded by a $195,000 USDA grant.
“We focused on renovating the back of the building,” Harvey said. “Ever since we got the building through the county land bank, it's been basically unusable and very rundown. What we didn't really have before was the back of the house where the vendors could work. So now we have , we redesigned the back of the building,” so it now has a dedicated delivery entrance that leads to the vendor workspace, as well as more retail space in the front. ”
The extra space also allowed us to add three new refrigerators and freezers.
Harvey said the business is a never-ending farmers market.
“We are a nonprofit community grocer,” she said. “Everything we stock here is made in Ohio. Whether it's in Lancaster or within a few hours of Ohio, it's all local. We're open seven days a week, six days a week. We also operate the Lancaster Farmers Market.'' “
David Keller Miller attended the event. His great-great-grandfather started the original Keller's Market in the same location.
“I'm really shocked,” he said of the current market. “Seeing all this is overwhelming.”
Keller Market House is open Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
jbarron@gannett.com
740-681-4340
Twitter/X: @JeffDBarron
