The Farm Store in New Britain reopened on Thursday after a fire destroyed its previous location four months ago.
It is a polish grocery store at 163 Broad Street in the Little Poland section of the city.
Customers were inside before it officially opened at 8 a.m., anxious to get their hands on fresh produce and polish foods.
“Oh finally I can get my cabbage and the farmer’s cheese, potatoes,” said Alice Kondracki, a long-time customer from New Britain who frequently shops for Kondracki Catering.
The store closed on March 5, 2016 after a fire ripped through the business and several other apartments on Broad Street. It left 34 people homeless and owner Sebastian Fontana dumbfounded.
“It was tough. When it first happened I was confused. I didn’t really know what to do,” said Sebastian Fontana, owner of The Farm Store.
But Sebby, as his customers call him, was getting phone calls from his customers wanting to know when he would reopen his 34-year-old business. So he decided to open a new store across the street from the old location.
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“Oh, I feel very good, very good. I’m pumped up, ready to meet my customers again and get back into business,” said Fontana.
Sebby says it felt great to be missed by the polish community and he and his family are glad to be back on Broad Street.
“I’m glad Sebby is back you know and reopened because it was tragic what happened,” said Kondracki.
