A new corner store is open in downtown Saratoga Springs, with a connected restaurant yet to come.
Open a little over a month, Mittler’s Market sits on the corner of Phila and Putnam Streets. More than a year ago owner Steve Mittler saw the space that previously held the Tailgate and Party store, and envisioned a cozy neighborhood shop nestled in the red brick exterior.
“So right now, we have absolutely nailed breakfast sandwiches. We’ve got 20 or 30 five-star reviews on Google. Our social media with Facebook that my daughter launched and Instagram also has hundreds of followers just in one week, so it’s been fabulous. But breakfast sandwiches for sure, but also our grab-and-go cooler. We’ve got salads, fresh macaroni salad, hot dogs, chili dogs, any drink you can think of to come in and hydrate,” said Mittler.
Scott Lilly and his family are in town from Connecticut for his son’s lacrosse camp and the summer races.
“Oh it totally felt local, especially with the way that they greeted us when we came in which was very nice. And, to be honest with you, it’s great to have something like this where you can pop-in and pop-out and not have to take too long because we’ve got to get back for his practice and training and then get ready for dinner and races tomorrow,” said Lilly.
The interior is decorated with Spa City memorabilia like advertisements for juggling lessons at Saratoga Race Course and old yearbooks from local high schools and Skidmore College. Mittler wanted to attract racetrack tourists and locals. He also saw a niche to fill.
“When we started looking at the building, I realized as soon as we saw the two sides of it, you can’t buy a bottle of water in this part of town. So, now you can buy water, chips. You’ve got a headache, we’ve got Excedrin. We’ve got toiletries, we’ve got groceries. So, there’s just a lot going on here and, you know, we’re excited to have the community come in and see what we’re all about. Especially the candy wall,” said Mittler.
Under a red and white canopy like you’d find at Saratoga Race Course, the back wall of the shop is stocked with a colorful array of sweet treats.
After working in corporate banking around the country for years, the 49-year-old Mittler returned to the Capital Region for, as he says, his final career. But Mittler’s Market still has some growing to do. He expects to get a certificate of occupancy from the city any day.
“And that’ll give us the opportunity to start focusing on opening the restaurant. Inside the building there’s three steps that lead into the market from the restaurant or vice versa. And up there we’ll have a simple, very eclectic menu of soups and salads, charcuterie boards, a deviled egg menu, a grilled cheese menu. As far as sliders go we’ve got a Thanksgiving day slider, which is stuffing and cranberry with a side of mashed potatoes and gravy to dip in. And then hummuses and tzatziki and all the different kinds of things. So, super excited to get that launched,” said Mittler.
If everything else goes according to plan, Mittler says, the restaurant will be open by the end of the summer.
General Manager Mary Connolly has 45 years of experience in the restaurant industry. She walked into the store months before it opened and instantly hit it off with Mittler.
“The two of us are like two peas in a pod. It’s actually quite amusing. I’ll go to do something he’s already doing it. Or I’ll be doing something and he’ll walk around and say, ‘get out of my head.’ We constantly are in sync with each other on everything that we’re doing around here and it’s just amazing,” said Connolly.
Mittler’s daughter, Julia Mittler, is re-stocking the hot dog roller.
“It’s honestly awesome because it makes the entire market just feel so much more quaint. And just people love when I’m like, ‘oh that’s my dad making your sandwich,’ people love a family business. And obviously it’s fun because I get to hang out with my dad at work which I’ve never gotten to do before and never thought I would ever do, but it’s awesome. My brother also works here so when I’m working with him it’s just hanging out basically,” said Mittler.
The young Mittler doesn’t expect to tire of working with her family any time soon.