You’re planning an exquisite dinner party and are hoping to wow your guests with one of the finest meals they’ve ever experienced, a meal created with carefully selected, prime ingredients fresh from the land and sea. It’s highly likely you’ll find everything on your shopping list at Booths Corner.
For seven decades, Amish farmers and area merchants have gathered weekly to sell their all-natural, top-quality meats, fresh seafood, hand-picked fruits and vegetables, curated cheeses, fresh-from-the-farm milk and eggs, classic cakes, candies, and snacks, plus so much more.
Pioneered by the esteemed Cohen family, Booths Corner is nestled in the Garnet Valley community of Delaware County. It's become the go-to spot for shoppers.It’s also celebrated for its multi-generational family businesses and community charm.
"65 years. That’s how long I have worked at Booths Corner. 65 years. When you ask someone what their fondest memory is of a place they’ve worked at for 65 years, it almost isn’t fair,” wrote the late Paul Cohen in the 2016 book, Booths Corner: I Love that Place! : Delaware County's Favorite Farmers Market. “Obviously, the fondest overall feeling I have with the market has been working alongside my loved ones.”
The beloved owner of Booths Corners had aspirations of attending college in the early 1950s, however, his dad, Nate Cohen, had alternate plans for his hard-working son. And so began Paul’s successful career in the farmers market industry. Today, the father-son’s lifelong legacy lives on at Booths Corner, with his daughters, Bonnie Fryer and Cindy Hamilton, and son, Benjie Cohen, at the helm.
“Originally when my grandfather first started it, it was just barns, then another barn was added, and another, and unfortunately we had a fire in 1973 and the whole thing burnt down,” recalls Cindy. The tragic event that year wouldn’t stop the Cohens from succeeding.
“We’ve been in the family business since the 50s, and that’s the way most of the merchants have been, so their parents, who my dad knew, now their kids are involved,” Cindy explains. “We see kids working here that we saw when they were born and it’s wonderful that we keep this going. We’re a staple here in Delco and we want to continue with that.”
The Fisher family has been a fixture at Booths Corner for decades, operating several stands which offer everything from Wisconsin cheese, to beef jerky sourced from both Lancaster County and Colorado, plus a huge assortment of tasty bacon and sweet treats as well.
Chris Fisher will soon become a part-owner of Fisher’s Deli. He says with the help of his dad, Dave Fisher, as well as other dedicated family members, he’s striving to build upon the business his grandfather, Samuel Fisher, created.
“My grandfather started it 50-plus years ago and it’s been handed down,” he says. “We’re hoping to sustain the quality and customer service that has been passed down from generation to generation. I enjoy giving out samples and seeing people’s faces light up.”
Like the Fisher name, you’ll find quite a few booths that carry the Stoltzfus name as well, as Stoltzfus is one of the top surnames found in Amish communities, and is also popular in some Mennonite communities. Booths Corner is home to Lancaster Co. Meats and Deli, run by Todd Stoltzfus, and Stoltzfus Meats, owned by Ken Stoltzfus. You’ll find fine cuts of farm-to-table meats, such as Filet Mignon, Delmonico, and London Broil, plus fresh pork, ground beef, and sausage.
Add surf to your turf dinner by stopping by Christopher’s Crab Cakes, owned by Tim and Dianna Larsen for more than two decades. The market offers fresh fish, shrimp, scallops, soups, salads, and of course, their namesake signature crab cake.
“Our crab cakes are made by hand, without filler,” Tim explains, “We’ve been getting our crabmeat out of Baltimore since day one, and pride ourselves on the best available crabs.”
“The week of Christmas we’re open five days a week and we estimate that we sell enough seafood to feed about 10,000 to 15,000 people dinner in those five days,” he says. “That’s very heartwarming and we’re grateful the customers love us.”
Customers are also captivated by the Market’s rainbow of fresh produce. So, gather your family and make it a daylong experience, browsing, shopping, and tasting your way through Booths Corner. Every Saturday and Sunday from 9am to 8pm, roughly 100 vendors will be waiting to cater to your every need.
As Paul Cohen eloquently wrote in praise, “There is a common, shared expression here: happiness. People come to get goods they love, with the people they love. For some, we are like family, and Booths Corner is their second home.”
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Pioneered by the esteemed Cohen family, Booths Corner, which is nestled in the Garnet Valley community of Delaware County, has become the go-to spot for shoppers.