Collyer Market Offers 'Gourmet Grab and Go'

For five years, Mark Sharon toiled in Collyer Catering’s tiny kitchen on 37 Saugatuck Ave. in Westport. The space was cramped and narrow: seemingly impossible for catering 300-person banquets.

Now, Sharon, along with his wife, Reed Collyer, who live in Redding, expanded not only their space, but their offerings. Last week, Collyer Market opened. The eatery serves soups, salads and sandwiches, but the sky is the limit for as the Redding couple fine-tunes their latest foray.

There are plans for cooking courses, a bevy of prepared foods that can be heated at  home, bookable parties and maybe a scotch tasting or two. Collyer calls it “grab and go gourmet with a connection to local and sustainable.” The idea to expand the catering business has always been in the back of her mind.

“We started doing the local farmers market and realized there was much more of a connection to local farms, which we like to support, and it’s easier to do that from a retail perspective than catering," she said.

Some of the items offered include quinoa salad and heirloom tomato and mozzarella sandwiches. All the items share a “connection to either local or organic,” said Collyer. Local artisans also sell their crafts from the store, such as bowls and handmade kitchen utensils.

When the spa next door to the kitchen closed last year, the couple rented out the space.  Sharon, a chef with more than 20 years experience, relishes the chance to diversify. As a caterer, he has to respect the clients’ wishes and provide exactly what’s requests, whether the wedding is Hungarian or steakhouse-themed (he did cater one of those, by the way).

“It’s great because I get to do a lot of different things,” Sharon said. “You get stuck in a restaurant, whether it’s a French restaurant or a diner, after a year you’re doing the same thing day after day after day. Here, every menu we try to adjust.”

Collyer Market is the latest business to come to the ever-changing Saugatuck neighborhood. The nearby Saugatuck Center, which provides a mix of housing and retail, has already signed its

“I love that it feels like a small town,” Collyer said.

Collyer Market, on 37 Saugatuck Ave. can be called at 203-438-5382. They are open Tuesday-Friday 10 a.m.-5 p.m and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. They are closed Sunday and open by appointment only on Monday.