| TASTE TEST | ▼ Café ▼ AVENTURA SPECIALTY GROCER PLUM MARKET OPENS FIRST FLORIDA STORE A new specialty grocer is coming to South Florida this fall when Plum Market makes its Florida debut with the opening of its first store in the Miami area. Plum Market was founded in 2018 by brothers Matthew and Marc Jonna, each third-generation grocers who held leadership roles with Whole Foods before moving on to create their own market-style grocery store with a mission that focuses on natural, or- ganic, and locally crafted items. The Detroit-based chain currently oper- ates more than 20 locations across Michigan, Illinois, Ohio, Indiana, and Texas, with plans to expand in California and Washington, D.C., as well as additional Florida locations. Those familiar with the specialty market enjoy Plum Market’s highly curated selection of products, many of which are locally sourced, making for a unique shopping expe- rience, Marc tells New Times. “Since we were teenagers, Matt and I re- ally cut our teeth in the grocery business with a focus on fine wine, gourmet, and natural and organic products,” said Marc. “We wanted to do something different than what our parents did and what Whole Foods does.” When it opens next month, the new Flor- ida store will feature all the elements Plum Market is best known for, including vitamins and supplements; natural skin and body care; a robust lineup of locally crafted goods along with beer and wine; a coffee program; and an extensive prepared-food kitchen. The Aventura store also will present shop- pers with a large selection of what Marc de- scribes as the nation’s most desirable products. “We’re brand champions. Our goal is to bring these unique products to the market and really put the spotlight on them,” said Marc. Florida artisans and business owners inter- ested in working with Plum Market are en- couraged to reach out to the company directly. For more than a year, Marc says his team has been hard at work sourcing an array of specialty products for the newest location at 17801 Biscayne Blvd. in Aventura. The chain has a strong commitment to the local com- munities it serves, and each store displays sig- nage that highlights the number of miles each local product traveled to reach the store. “This not only helps guests support local brands but also ensures that the freshest and best quality products are offered,” adds Marc. “Our goal is to find the right products to bring to our stores, and one thing about Florida we love is that you have a lot of local products.” The 23,000-square-foot store will feature 14 14 more than 100 local brands, including favor- ites like McGregor’s Greens, BarbaCuban, the Empanada Girl, Sullivan Street Bakery, Mother Kombucha, Ella’s Flats, Laura’s Gourmet Granola, Cigar City beer, and Funky Buddha beer, among others. It also will be the first grocery location on the East Coast to sell Photo courtesy of Plum Market Plum Market is coming to Florida later this year. confections & baked goods from Norman Love, the Florida-based chocolatier. Marc says Florida shoppers can also keep an eye out for beloved Plum Market favorite brands from Niman Ranch, Snake River Farms, and Mary’s Chicken to Cal-Organic Farms and See’s Candies. The longtime grocer adds that Plum Mar- ket puts an added focus on its beer and wine department with a highly curated team that is able to assist customers with pairing tips and selection recommendations. They also regu- larly host ticketed wine-tasting events at se- lect stores. “We really take it seriously,” adds Marc. “Our goal is to cover all categories and price points. The idea is to make shopping more fun and less intimating.” In addition to the variety of local products, the Plum Market offers its own curated selec- tion of packaged snacks, frozen items, artisan baked goods, and specialty candies, along with a grab-and-go section that includes hot meals with a carving station, soup and salad bar, made-to-order sandwiches, and an in- house sushi program that will feature no- added-sugar rice. “We’re really excited to come to Florida and show them we want to be here and grow with them,” sums up Marc. Plum Market. 17801 Biscayne Blvd., Aven- tura; plummarket.com. NICOLE DANNA ▼ WYNWOOD DON’T MISS THESE BREWTASTIC EVENTS BEFORE DOGFISH HEAD MIAMI CLOSES “With our lease coming to an end, coupled with the significant rent increases happening throughout Miami, we’ve made the difficult decision to close our Dogfish Head Miami tap- room,” Hempstead tells New Times in an email. While the official closing date is slated for Saturday, November 5, there’s still plenty of time to experience Dogfish Head Miami be- fore doors close for good. In other words, with the sad news comes plenty of good brew news. Over the course of the next several weeks, expect Dogfish Head to continue its regular schedule of events — plus a few notable addi- tions. A great way to A GREAT WAY TO BID THE DOGFISH HEAD OPERATIONS ADIEU IS TO GET A SNEAK PEEK INTO PRODUCTION OPERATIONS. bid the Dogfish Head operations adieu is to get a sneak peek into production opera- tions with one of the Miami tap- room’s weekly brewery tours, adds Hempstead. The guided tour of the brewhouse gives fans a chance to in- dulge in complimentary beer samples while learning about the history of Dogfish Head. There is no charge for the tour, which takes place from 6 to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 2, 4, 6, and 8 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday. Additional weekly programming includes Dogfish Head recently announced it will be closing the Miami outpost of its “off-cen- tered” craft brewery and taproom. The unexpected news comes after the Delaware-based brand’s long-awaited May 2021 opening of its Miami taproom, which took over the former Concrete Beach Brew- ing space off NW 24th Street in Wynwood. According to Scott Hempstead, the Boston Beer Company’s senior director of local brands and taprooms, the company decided it would not renew the lease due to rising over- head costs. free events like the weekday “Hoppy Hour,” featuring $6 draft beer and a $7 sampler plat- ter from 4 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday; a game night hosted by 8bit Entertainment Systems where patrons can geek out over vin- tage and old school video games from 5 to 11 p.m. on Mondays; bingo night with DJ Hott- pants and an extended happy hour from 6 to 8 p.m. on Wednesdays; the “Sip & Speak” open mic night co-hosted with Speak Miami open to artists, poets, and musicians at 7 p.m. the last Thursday of each month; and a com- edy and trivia night hosted by Miami-based comedians from 6 to 8 p.m. on Fridays. “We are looking forward to the beer re- leases and events that have been planned,” sums up Hempstead. “It is our goal to make the most out of the rest of our time at Dogfish Head Miami.” Dogfish Head Miami. 325 NW 24th St, Miami; 305-796-2727; dogfish.com. 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