Clark’s Market in Telluride is way more than good grocery shopping, if you listen to store manager Mark DeMist. “It’s the social center of Telluride,” he says. “On our busiest days when all the carts are out in the aisles, 10 of those carts will be parked in the middle of the store while people are chatting with their neighbors.”

 

Our Telluride store is a unique mix of everyday necessities shelved alongside specialty gourmet items, in a beautiful space where every square inch of shelf space is well-utilized. Telluride’s visitors can’t believe how many rows of products can fit into the store.

 

“At least five times each summer someone says to me something like, ‘I can’t get this in Dallas — how can you get it here?’” DeMist says.

 

Telluride residents have a firm commitment to the earth, so the store excels in distribution of cloth, reusable grocery bags rather than plastic bags. In addition, the store supports the community’s wishes by being a regular contributor to nonprofits, local youth sports teams, and by offering the CashSavers program, which lets customers make use of CashSaver coupons for deep discounts on groceries, or to help a local not-for-profit organization.

 

Produce manager Brandy Shaw keeps the produce aisles looking fresh and welcoming with the highest quality fruits and vegetables, and fresh floral arrangements. As a small, family-owned grocery store, Clark’s Market is able to specially order anything missing from store shelves that customers might like. “I like to say that if we don’t have it now, we’ll probably be able to get it by the end of the week,” DeMist says.

 

Clark’s Market has been in Telluride since 2001, and has a custom appearance left over from its previous life as Rose’s Victorian Market. While it’s not typical to have a grocery store with stained glass light fixtures and carpet, DeMist notes that the appearance adds to the store’s charm, and the carpet provides great traction for people walking around in ski boots.

 

The Telluride store uses its ample parking lot for some of its most anticipated sales during the year, like the Fourth of July Lobster Sale, which draws a line up the block because of great prices.

 

The store also sells plenty of locally- and regionally-based products, like Telluride Truffles, toffee from Norwood, tortillas from Baked in Telluride, and local stone fruit when it’s in season.

 

Clark’s Market is the second largest employer in the town of Telluride, second to the ski area itself. Even still, as a small market in a small community, DeMist says the store employees enjoy knowing most of the people who shop there every day.

 

“I think people leave with a smile,” DeMist says. “We like to make their day.”