While the Chautauqua County Chamber of Commerce will be visiting more than500 small businesses throughout the week, the week was officially kicked off on Friday afternoon in downtown Clymer at Sweeterson Farms.

Sweeterson Farms held its grand opening weekend over the weekend starting with the chamber’s ribbon cutting Friday afternoon. Owned by Carrie and Levi Swanson and their daughters Diana and Phoebe, Sweeterson Farms is located at 8723 East Main Street and offers a variety of different goods for people’s kitchens.

“We actually began in 2023 online,” Carrie Swanson said. “Exclusively online it started as, then we went to pop-up shops, vendor shows, all that kind of thing. We did that for the last three years.”

Carrie Swanson said they found their new location on East Main Street back in November and have been working hard since to fix it up and turn it into their store. She added that with the name, many people think they are a farm, which they are not. The name came from merging the Swanson last name with her maiden name, Peterson, and the farms came from them both growing up on farms.

At left Sweeterson Farms, located in downtown Clymer is pictured. At right Assemblyman Andrew Molitor shows off a crocodile chopper, one of the many items found at Sweeterson Farms.

“We actually sell kitchen goods,” Carrie Swanson said. “So, utensils, gadgets, cutlery. We have cookware that we can order. We have lots of entertaining items. I hope you can stop in.”

Sweeterson Farms is also open online at sweetersonfarms.com, and their in-person hours are Wednesday through Friday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Carrie Swanson encouraged people to stop by not only their shop but other local businesses as well, including Twin Flame Coffee Company that also opened downtown Friday.

Levi Swanson, who also sits on the town board, added his appreciation for everyone coming out to the ribbon cutting event.

“I’m very proud to be here as a small business owner,” he said. “She used the word ‘we’ quite often, which does a lot of heavy lifting, but it was actually Carrie. This has been her dream. She put in all the work. I’m just ‘Labor Levi’, the walking billboard. I’m very proud of her and all the work she’s done.”

Levi Swanson added that everything in the store is Carrie Swanson’s handiwork, and that they are blessed to be able to open a small business in Clymer where they live and love. Deputy Town Supervisor, Todd Kolstee, was also in attendance, welcoming the business to the community. Assemblyman Andrew Molitor, along with representatives of Senator George Borrello, Congressman Nick Langworthy, and County Executive PJ Wendel also congratulated the Swanson family, reading proclamations from all of the offices for not only the business but to recognize small business week as well.

Some items given a special shoutout as items that can be found in the store include a butter dish shaped like a whale, noted to be the item that got the store started, along with a crocodile chopper for vegetables. Everything is handpicked for the store by Carrie Swanson.

The Swansons were also acknowledged and congratulated by the Small Business Development Center and the CHQ Chamber, before the ribbon was officially cut.

More information on Sweeterson Farms can be found on their website, sweetersonfarms.com, along with social media on Facebook and Instagram.