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Managing Editor CHICOPEE Although the city of Chicopee has long had food shops and restaurants that reflect the ethnic make-up of the city, now a new ethnic food shopping district is emerging downtown. Bob's Bakery, Bernardino's Bakery and Cinco de Mayo Market are extending the ethnic food offerings already in the city and are, according to the respective owners, drawing people to the downtown for a taste of their heritage. Paul Czajka, who owns Bob's Bakery at 218 Exchange St. with his wife Dorothy, explained that about two years ago Dorothy started stocking some imported foods from Poland to sell along with their fresh baked goods. The response was so positive that Dorothy has been adding more and more items to a corner of the bakeshop. For the customers, the added grocery line is "like a bonus," Dorothy said. Paul said that people have made requests, which Dorothy tries to fulfill. "When you're born in Poland and you come to the United States, you remember that taste," Paul said. "For people who are born here, they try it and really enjoy it." On their shelves are cans, boxes and bottles of food items from Poland, Germany and other countries. There are also cheeses and other dairy items and a freezer with a wide variety of pierogi. Paul said that customers had requested pierogi and Dorothy undertook a search for a product that was similar to the homemade ones Dorothy and his mother make. She found a line and they have proven to be a big seller. There's a strawberry and cheese dessert pierogi and a mushroom pierogi that Dorothy said is wonderful in a soup like a tortellini. Down the street another bakery has added a grocery section. Manny Silva, a co-owner of Bernardino's Bakery at 105 Exchange St., explained the expansion at his shop was to provide more reasons for customers, especially younger ones, to come to the shop. Although a fixture in downtown for years and in business since 1918, Silva said today you have to compete with supermarkets. "In our industry, you've got to change," Silva said while standing in his new grocery area. Silva's groceries include Polish and Portuguese imports as well as dairy items and meats. He has tried to include local producers of ethnic products, such as kielbasa, as well to his inventory. The effort to stock locally made items is to "help each other out," he said. He said the ethnic food line was a bit of an experiment in that his staff will pay attention to what sells and what people request. Silva has also added some seating to the other side of his shop so people to sit and enjoy a coffee with a baked item. He is planning to add a soup and sandwich operation as well. The newest market in also on Exchange Street, several doors down from Bob's Bakery is Cinco de Mayo Market. It reflects the growing Mexican population as well as the popularity of Mexican food, owner Melissa Aguilar said. She said that Mexican immigrants have been looking for a place that imports the food of their homeland and until she opened her market, there was only one such market and that was in Enfield, Conn. The response, she said, has been very good. Inside the store, her shelves featureMexican canned goods, as well as cheeses and meat items from Mexico. Looking for tomatillos for authentic salsa? She has them fresh in her refrigerator case along with other fruits and vegetables. In another refrigerated case, Aguilar has a variety of imported sodas from Mexico, including Mexican Coca Cola. This version of the best-known soft drink in the world is different from what is sold here. Aguilar explained the Mexican version has a milder taste and uses real cane sugar as a sweetener. If her plans come true, downtown will also have another ethnic restaurant as well as market as Aguilar wants to add a deli that would serve natural and authentic Mexican food. | ||||||
