Church, Chamber Partner To Present Indoor Winter Market in Westhampton Beach

The goal of building a parish hall is to welcome the community in, according to Pastor Chris Jubinski and warden Diane Stewart of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church on Main Street in Westhampton Beach.

And, thanks to a collaboration with the Greater Westhampton Chamber of Commerce, that’s exactly what’s happening every Saturday, as shoppers walk through an array of holiday decorations to the chamber’s first indoor Winter Market.

With vendors based from as far away as Buffalo and as nearby as the East End Food Institute in Southampton, offerings run the gamut from fresh local seafood to natural jams, from dog treats to a table piled high with fragrant, just-baked breads.

Holiday houses donated by a church patron crowd shelves in the crisp white hall, adding a celebratory flavor to the shopping experience. A fire crackles in the hearth of a garland-topped fireplace, while the church’s musical director, Stephen Hunt, played holiday tunes on the piano on Saturday, December 17.

The market debuted a week earlier, and will run through the end of April, every Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

“It’s such a beautiful setting,” former Town Councilwoman Julie Lofstad enthused. She was there with her daughter Olivia offering tuna, fluke and fresh scallops, to name just a few, through the family enterprise Catch of The Hamptons, sailing out of Shinnecock.

Katie Jeran agreed. “This is perfect,” she said, helming a table stocked with local fruit spreads. Like others manning tables, she’s been a participant in the chamber’s annual summer farmer’s market every Saturday on the Village Green in Westhampton Beach.

At Lori Frazier’s table, the vendor displayed unusual lion’s mane and blue oyster mushrooms grown in Center Moriches. Browsers could buy a kit to grow their own at home, too.

Next to her was Loretta Reese from Wicked Sisters Tea, which offers locally blended loose leaf tea. She praised the intriguing variety of gourmet offerings available in the market.

There’s even something yummy for pets. Kim Loper of Center Moriches said her “Life is Gruff” dog treats have been offered at markets in Westhampton and Riverhead.

Thomas Farrell presided over the carb-lovers dream: a table brimming with loaves and loaves of fresh baked breads, courtesy of his company, Hamptons Born & Bread. He hails from East Hampton and finds participating in farmers markets a fun thing to do in his spare time. Offerings from Chowderheads Soup are ideal for dipping.

And after a yummy meal, hygienic diners like to wash their hands. That’s where Middle Island’s Stormy Gardens Soapworks comes in. Nicole Steele’s table featured bars of soap in numerous scents along with soap “slices” for quick, aromatic washups.

Caitlin Glover has a cookie company, Superfood City, and makes her delicious and nutritious treats at the East End Food Institute in Southampton. Her table was also packed with digestion-friendly offerings from another EEFI participant, The Gut Goodness.

“I love it here,” said Glover, who’s used to participating in markets on the eastern end of Southampton Town and in Sag Harbor Village. She reported taking a walk around the village last week and extolled the charm and beauty of Westhampton Beach.

The founders of Buffalo-based Wildflower Beverages are originally Long Island natives. They’re glad to be returning to the island with their unique drink blends crafted in a “meadery” using fresh honey, seller Liam Winters said. Next to him, Neil Diamond (no relation to the musical luminary) was selling “farm to bottle” beverages from Springbrook Hollow Farm distillery. Coming from the Lake George region, the beverage ingredients are grown, and distilled with no additives, no preservatives and no artificial flavoring.

Yunior Velasquez stood at the Horman’s Best Pickle table offering dozens of foodstuffs. He’d participated in the chamber’s outdoor markets and echoed Lofstad’s comment, “It’s nice not to be sitting outside.”

To get to the market, one passes through a hallway featuring table after table of baskets up for auction. Sundy Schermeyer is running the auction, with proceeds planned to be used to build a new stone altar for the church’s columbarium. She’s pleased the market will draw in shoppers who might also bid on baskets.

Chamber Executive Director Kim Clark noted the indoor market features new and longtime summer vendors — “a nice mix.” To help raise money for the 21 scholarships the chamber funds each year, a final table offered games and posters for sale.

Originally, chamber officials contemplated hosting just a holiday market, President Marlene Brill explained. Jubinski, an avid customer of the summertime market, offered the parish hall, and asked “why not do it all winter?” Brill related.

Stewart stopped by with her husband just to grab a loaf of bread. She said she and the pastor thought having the market each week through the winter would be a great community outreach. In all, about 20 varied vendors participate.

The Winter Market takes place Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., in the parish hall at St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, located on Main Street in the village, across from the Great Lawn.