‘Fenix Fine Foods’
Opens in Randolph
By Sandy Vondrasek

Just in time for the holiday party season, comes "Fenix Fine Foods," a tiny shop on Merchants Row, with a big selection of cheeses, crackers, condiments, olives, patés, and more.

Proprietor Karen Delaney of Randolph said this week she plans also to sell a selection of wines and specialty beers—as soon as her liquor license is in.

Delaney is using the experience she gained during seven years at the Randolph Cooperative Market to inform her purchasing decisions for her store.

"The focus is on quality—things that taste good," Delaney said, in an interview in the almost-ready-to-open store Tuesday.

Although there are plenty of imports on the shelves and an Italian deli feel to the shop, most of Fenix’s products will come from New England, Delaney said.

There will be some meats in the cooler, including Italian salami and pancetta, and Delaney can also custom order seafood, on a day’s notice.

She is open to customers’ suggestions, and willing to special order products, if she can’t stock them on her shelves.

Here is sampling of the items on those shelves this week:

• Crackers and fruit spread to go with the camembert and brie cheese in the cooler;

• Pomegranate molasses, fruit and nut oils, and other hard-to-find items for specialty recipes; and

• All-fruit juice mixers, with no artificial ingredients, including bloody Mary, marguerita, and mojita types.

Delaney said Tuesday that she plans to open Fenix Fine Foods by this weekend.

Fenix? It’s Old English for "phoenix," Delaney explained.

The shop’s hours will be 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday-Saturday, and 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on Sundays. For inquiries, call 728-3439, or email fenixfoods@hotmail.com.

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