JP Market completes makeover,
adds eat-in option
By Kathy McCarty
Staff Writer
PRESQUE ISLE — A local convenience store has undergone some major changes, adding more food choices, including yogurt, to better serve its customers.
Staff photo/Kathy McCarty
A LARGE CROWD turned out for a Central Aroostook Chamber of Commerce ribbon-cutting ceremony marking the official re-opening of JP Market & Deli, featuring the new Frosty Peaks Frozen Yogurt Bar. Taking part in the event, in front from left are: Presque Isle Council Chair Emily Smith; Pre-Teen Miss Presque Isle 2013 Taylor Hedrich; Mackenzie Pelkey (JP employee Joe’s daughter); Lisa Norton, owner; her son, Chase Norton, who works at JP; Lisa Bonato, manager; CACC members Stacy Smith and Renee Chalou-Ennis. In back: Chamber member Bonnie Pack; Theresa Fowler, CACC executive director; Councilman Dick Engels; Teen Miss Presque Isle 2013 Emma Kinney, who works at JP; Councilman Randy Smith; Joe Pelkey; Ryan Rackliffe, technical support; Scott Norton, owner; CACC members Sherry Sullivan, Jim McKenney, Shawn Lahey and Craig Green.
Renovations were recently completed at JP Market & Deli, 694 Main St., Presque Isle, with a Frosty Peaks Frozen Yogurt Bar added to the offerings, just in time to get a cool treat to beat the summer heat in the weeks ahead.
Owners Scott and Lisa Norton decided to make the facility a more family-oriented establishment, providing an eat-in or take-out eatery, with newly-painted walls, tables and chairs.
“My family and I were looking for something different to bring to Presque Isle that would work in well with our existing business. I was looking for something that families and kids would enjoy. The yogurt bar is something I started noticing last fall opening up in different towns and I thought it looked like it could be the perfect addition to our business,” said Lisa Norton.
Changes were also made to their deli service.
“Our deli business has grown over the last few years, causing us to need more space to better serve our customers. We also decided to open more hours to better serve our patrons,” she said.
Norton said now was the perfect time to do the project and add yogurt to their offerings.
“When we decided we would add the yogurt bar, it was the perfect time to do a remodel, expand our deli and make a friendly place for families and for teenagers that are out looking for something to do,” Norton said.
Yogurt lovers are in for a real treat, with numerous flavors offered on a rotating basis.
“We will always have vanilla and chocolate at the yogurt bar. The other flavors we will rotate often. Right now we have chocolate, peanut butter — the twist of these is peanut butter cup — vanilla, blueberry, pomegranate, cotton candy and cake batter. Over the next few weeks we will have coconut, salted caramel, strawberry and mango,” she said.
Flavors are updated on the JP Facebook page.
“We have over 30 toppings for your yogurt, including fresh fruit, candy, nuts, granola — to name a few,” Norton said.
Selections in the deli have also been expanded.
“We have a variety of items we offer in our deli, from chicken fingers, French fries, many different sandwiches, and we have daily deli specials Monday through Friday that are all homemade. The lasagna on Thursdays is really popular. We also offer homemade meals you can take home and bake on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays,” said Norton, noting, “We offer two different choices each week. We prepare it, you pick it up, take it home and bake it.”
Norton said she emails a list each Friday of the following week’s choices.
“If you’d like to get on our email list, send me a private message on Facebook with your email address,” she said.
The yogurt bar is open Monday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
“The deli is open Monday through Friday, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Saturday, 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. At this time the deli is not open on Sunday but if we get a lot of requests for it to be open, we will change that,” said Norton.
The Nortons are pleased with the feedback they’ve received since re-opening.
“The response has been great. We are hearing so many positive comments from our old and new customers. We hadn’t done anything to our store for a lot of years and wanted to create some excitement,” she said.
She said they welcome public input.
“We have a suggestion box if anyone would like to let us know anything, from yogurt flavors, toppings or deli items you’d like to see us carry or anything else we can do to improve our store,” said Norton.
“I would like to thank everyone that has stopped in and for all of the very nice compliments we’ve received. This project has been a lot of work, but it has been very rewarding with the feedback we are getting from the community,” said Norton.
For more information on what the store has to offer, call 764-5474.
