PT’s Market: A Family-Owned De Kalb Junction Business Built Around Food and Community

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Featured Local Business | De Kalb Junction, New York

What makes a small-town business special isn’t always the size of the building or the number of products on the shelves.

Sometimes it’s the people behind the counter.

Sometimes it’s the family working together.

And sometimes it’s the fact that when you spend your money there, you’re supporting people who are invested in the same community you call home.

PT’s Market in De Kalb Junction, New York, is a wonderful example of that kind of local business.

Known for deli foods, subs, pizza, salads, ice cream, and more, PT’s Market gives local families a convenient place to grab a meal, pick up something for the family, or simply stop for a treat.

But the story behind PT’s Market goes far beyond food.

A Family Business With a Community at Its Heart

When Tami and Dave French opened PT’s Market, they weren’t simply creating another place to buy lunch.

They were creating a family business in their hometown.

From the beginning, the community response was enthusiastic. Local residents understood what a new locally owned business could mean for De Kalb Junction—not just as another place to eat, but as another gathering place and another reason to keep shopping close to home.

That spirit remains one of the most meaningful parts of the PT’s Market story.

Because when a family-owned business becomes part of a small community, customers aren’t simply customers.

They become neighbors.

Friends.

Regulars.

And sometimes part of the story themselves.

Something for Everyone

One of the best things about PT’s Market is the variety.

Some days you need a quick lunch.

Some days the family wants pizza.

Maybe you’re looking for a sub, a salad, something from the deli, or a sweet treat.

PT’s Market gives you plenty of choices.

The business’s current Facebook description highlights:

Deli • Subs • Pizza • Salads • Ice Cream & More

That combination makes PT’s a practical local stop for families with different tastes—and for those times when nobody can agree on what to have for dinner.

Pizza, Subs, and Deli Favorites

Pizza is an important part of the PT’s Market story, and the business has offered a variety of traditional and specialty pizzas.

Classic choices have included favorites such as cheese, pepperoni, sausage, meat lovers, and loaded combinations.

If pizza isn’t what you’re craving, subs and deli selections provide another option.

Customers can choose from a variety of meats, cheeses, toppings, and condiments to create a meal that’s just right for them.

And for families trying to make one food stop work for everyone, that flexibility can be a big advantage.

Salads and More

Sometimes you want something hearty.

Sometimes you want something lighter.

PT’s Market has also offered salads, giving customers another choice when pizza or a sub isn’t what they’re looking for.

That variety is part of what makes a neighborhood food business useful.

You don’t have to make a special trip to several different places.

You can stop at one local business and find something for everyone.

Don’t Forget the Ice Cream

Then there’s the fun part.

Ice cream.

Whether you’re stopping for dessert after a meal or simply looking for a cold treat, ice cream adds another reason to make PT’s Market part of your local routine.

And for families with children, we all know how quickly the words “Let’s get ice cream” can turn an ordinary errand into something everyone is excited about.

The Family Behind the Business

One of the things that made the original PT’s Market story so special was the family’s involvement.

Tami and Dave French are parents of four children—Abigail, Nellie, Paul, and Henry—and their children have been part of the family’s work and community life.

That makes PT’s Market more than a business operated by two owners.

It’s a family business.

The children have had opportunities to learn what it means to work together, contribute, serve other people, and take pride in something their family has built.

Those lessons can be every bit as valuable as anything learned in a classroom.

A Family Tradition of Homemade Goodness

The family’s connection to food goes beyond the menu.

Nellie, one of Tami and Dave’s daughters, became involved in baking homemade donuts for the family business.

And there is a wonderful piece of family history behind that tradition.

Nellie was named after a great-great-great-grandmother who was also named Nellie.

So when the younger Nellie was working in the kitchen, she wasn’t simply making something delicious for customers.

She was carrying forward a family tradition.

Her sister Abigail also became known for her homemade chocolate chip cookies.

Those details help tell the story of PT’s Market in a way a menu never could.

Family isn’t simply part of the business. Family is part of the recipe.

A Connection to Silver Leaf Diner

PT’s Market also has a special connection to another De Kalb Junction family business: Silver Leaf Diner.

Loretta Thayer—known affectionately as Grandma or Gram—has been an important part of the family’s story.

That connection is a beautiful example of something that happens often in small communities:

Businesses aren’t isolated from one another.

Families know families.

People work together.

Generations help one another.

And the success of one local business can help strengthen the entire community.

Supporting Other Local Businesses

Tami’s commitment to local business has also extended beyond PT’s Market.

When the market opened, she made an effort to provide opportunities for other local makers and small businesses to have their products seen by customers.

Products featured in the original PT’s Market story included:

• Local honey
• Honey mustard sauce
• Handmade wooden bowls
• Locally made signs

That philosophy is worth celebrating.

Because when one small business makes room for another, the benefits of shopping local multiply.

Instead of one family benefiting from a purchase, several local families can benefit.

That’s what a strong local-business community can look like.

Supporting the Community

The French family’s commitment to De Kalb Junction has gone beyond the doors of PT’s Market.

Their community involvement has included activities for local children and families, including Easter egg hunts, support for community flags, and children’s activities during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The family has also been involved in helping local children through Tami’s other De Kalb Junction business, Cut ‘N Edge.

Those efforts reflect something important about the French family:

They don’t simply do business in their community. They live in it, raise their family in it, and invest in it.

Why Shopping Local Matters

It’s easy to think that choosing a local business instead of a larger chain is simply a matter of convenience.

But every local purchase tells a bigger story.

When you buy a pizza, order a sub, pick up deli food, grab a salad, or stop for ice cream at a local business, you’re helping support people who are part of your own community.

You’re helping a family-owned business continue.

You’re helping local jobs remain local.

And you’re helping preserve the character of a small town.

Shopping local isn’t just about where you spend your money. It’s about who benefits from it.

A Convenient Stop in De Kalb Junction

Whether you’re a longtime PT’s Market customer or you’ve never stopped in before, the variety makes it worth keeping on your local food list.

Maybe you’re looking for pizza.

Maybe it’s a sub.

Maybe you’re picking up deli food.

Maybe you want a salad.

Or maybe you simply want ice cream.

There’s something satisfying about having a locally owned business close by where you can find several of those choices in one place.

And because offerings and hours can change, checking PT’s Market’s Facebook page before your visit is the best way to get the most current information.

PT’s Market

De Kalb Junction, New York

Phone: (315) 347-2510

Facebook: PT’s Market

Current Facebook following: More than 4,000 followers

For the latest offerings, updates, and business information, visit PT’s Market on Facebook.

More Than a Place to Eat

The original PT’s Market story was written when the business was brand new.

Today, the more meaningful story isn’t that it was a new deli that sold its first 100 pizzas.

The meaningful story is what happens after a local business becomes part of a community.

It becomes a familiar name.

A convenient stop.

A place where families work together.

A place where local products can be supported.

A place where children can learn the value of hard work.

And a place where neighbors can spend their money knowing they’re helping someone who is invested in the same community.

That’s what makes a hometown business worth celebrating.

Have You Been to PT’s Market?

Now we want to hear from you!

What’s your favorite thing to get at PT’s Market?

Is it the pizza?

A favorite sub?

A deli item?

A salad?

Ice cream?

Or something else that you think every first-time customer should try?

Leave a comment and tell us what makes PT’s Market one of your local favorites.

Featured Local Business

The Candy Foote Club is proud to shine a spotlight on local businesses that help make our communities special.

Behind every small business is a family, a story, and people working hard to serve their neighbors.

When we support local businesses, we help preserve the places, traditions, relationships, and personal connections that make our communities feel like home.

PT’s Market is part of that story in De Kalb Junction.

Thank you to the French family for investing in your community, supporting other local businesses, and giving families another reason to shop small.