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| Town Branch Market – Lexington, Ky. |
A couple of weeks after Shorty’s opened in downtown Lexington (163 W. Short St.), the Town Branch Market opened at the corner of Esplanade and Main. The opening last week took downtown Lexington to a count of two downtown grocer’s (a far cry from the goose egg we’d had for years).
Town Branch is completely different than Shorty’s. When you walk into Town Branch, the feel is more convenience store that grocery — an intended feel for a market designed for downtown employees and residents needing to quickly pick up a few items. Yes, there was some meat, some veggies, some fruit … but nothing like the selection at Shorty’s. Again, I think this was intended.
Town Branch offered a great selection of fountain drinks and cappuccino bar to serve a market and price-point not otherwise available downtown. Coupled with partnerships with area businesses (Good Foods Coop, Donut Days — I’m really excited about getting a Donut Days doughnut downtown) and you have some great pre-made food offerings. There is also a nice selection of Ky Proud products – as owner Howard Stovall says, “If we can get it locally, its going to come locally.” That is good news.
The market’s name comes from the Town Branch of the Elkhorn Creek which flows underneath downtown Lexington. This stream is also known as the Middle Fork of the Elkhorn, but Town Branch is certainly the more commonly utilized name. Lexington is what it is today because this tributary flows through our fertile soil and is another example of a new local business taking its name from our collective local history.