Peter Balentine

Since moving to Lynn, I have been surprised to discover an abundance of “home” markets present in the city. Lynn has a large housing stock of triple-decker houses in often deteriorating condition, and a number incorporate a store on the first floor. Lynn is also home to 70 different nationalities, and the store names and colors celebrate the diversity of peoples.

What is for sale in these Lynn “home markets”? It varies by market. You may find bread, milk, beer, lottery tickets, candy, chips, and fresh fruits and vegetables. A few are true general stores selling cooking pots, blankets, candles, beauty supplies, etc. They are convenient places to get what you need, but there is a downside – prices are higher than larger supermarkets due to smaller inventories.

It is usually the people who live in the surrounding neighborhood and can walk to the store or stop in their car on their way home who buy from these markets. They can be places of community – you may know the clerk or owner or other shoppers visiting the store. And what about the upstairs apartments – who lives there? Many are rented out, but some store owners live above, making it truly a “home market”.