Local News

‘Dream Of Ours’: Stoll Family Farm hosting open house for new store location today

 CATTARAUGUS -- The Stoll Family Farm is hosting an open house celebration today to celebrate the opening of their new retail location.

Located at 55 South Main Street, Cattaraugus, the friends and family open house celebration this morning goes from 8:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. and is set to include refreshments, a ribbon cutting and a first look at the farm's new general store. The store will be open to the public for the first time following the celebration.

"Continuing to grow our farm and increase access to farm-fresh foods has been a dream of ours as we've seen community support grow for farm-to-table initiatives," Katelyn Walley-Stoll, one of the owners of the operation, said. "This new location allows us to have more availability, greater community connections, and increase the number of products we're able to offer while still sharing our farm story and values."

The Stoll Family Farm previously had a self-serve stand and home bakery. The expansion of that allows the farm to move into a larger bakery and kitchen, while also opening an indoor retail space in a busier location. The new store, Walley-Stoll said, is a one-stop-shop for all things local food.

"We will have our farm meats and eggs and are working with 18 other local farms to offer a 'grocery store' style shopping experience," Walley-Stoll said. "This will include meats, dairy, produce, fresh baked goods made in house, pre-made freezer meals made in-house with local farm products, and grab-n-go items. We'll also have gift selections from local makers, farm merch, and an opportunity to talk directly to the farmer who is growing, selecting, and baking the food you can feed your family."

In the summer, the store will be offering ice-cream that is made in-house and tours of the farm, which is about 10 minutes away from the store.

The store will be open to the public for the first time today following the morning celebration, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

"Folks who are able to attend will be able to meet and chat with me and other farm vendors," Walley-Stoll said. "We will also have samples, chances for free merch, accepting pre-orders for Thanksgiving items, and will be stocked with our products to show off how this new location can be a source for food while supporting our local community of farmers."

Walley-Stoll invited anyone interested to come out and visit either for the morning celebration or to stop by and see the store. She said buying food directly from the people who grew and made it is important, particularly with the state of the current food system.

"Coming out this weekend to support our opening will allow folks the opportunity to buy local, see all that our store and our amazing village has to offer, and ask any questions you might have about the food you feed your family while enjoying a unique shopping experience of grocery staples and fun treats," Walley-Stoll said. "Buying local and supporting local farms is the key to a robust and resilient food system. Reducing the barriers for farms to sell their products locally and for consumers to purchase their products is something I hope that this store will help with."

Walley-Stoll expressed their gratitude for the growth opportunities that the village of Cattaraugus has provided to help support small businesses.

For more information, people can reach out to Stoll Family Farm by calling 716-640-1095, visiting Stoll Family Farm on Facebook and Instagram, or by visiting their location at 55 South Main Street, Cattaraugus.