Local, sustainable grocer to open in Salem

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Sharon Driscoll will open Milk and Honey, an environmentally friendly grocery store on Church Street in Salem, on Sept. 2. Deborah Parker

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August 18, 2010

By Stacie N. Galang Staff Writer The Salem News Wed Aug 18, 2010, 06:56 AM EDT

SALEM — Sharon Driscoll says the city is "ripe" for a downtown grocery store that sells environmentally friendly products.

Milk and Honey is slated to open Sept. 2 on Church Street stocked with products that meet Driscoll's idea of local and sustainable. Milk and Honey, next to Salem Wine Imports, will join an eclectic mix of restaurants and shops downtown.

"People want to know where their food is coming from," she said. "Salem is ripe for an urban market."

Milk and Honey is Driscoll's first foray into small business, but the Salem resident worked with nonprofit Project Bread for the five years prior to undertaking the downtown grocery. She promoted the federal nutrition program at the regional food bank.

Before that, Driscoll, who is not related to Mayor Kim Driscoll, worked as a respiratory therapist for almost 20 years. She did work informally as a personal chef while in graduate school for economic development.

"So this is a completely new, big change in my life," she said. "I love food, and I love my community. It's really appealing to me to work in the community that you live in."

In the weeks leading up to Milk and Honey's opening, Driscoll has trekked across New England in search of the products to offer.

"I'm a total foodie," she said. "It's been fantastic to try all the different cheeses."

Though the food will be as local and green as possible, the store owner doesn't want Milk and Honey to be pretentious. She hopes to attract a broad range of customers and plans to accept food stamps, too.

"It's a place where people can come take a breath and slow down," Driscoll said.

For her, the store will be more than a business.

"It's about wanting to offer the residents of Salem a new experience," she said. "I want it to be personalized. I want it to be interactive."