Monique Montaigne
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Students in grades 7 and 8 perform an original composition for ukelele and xylophone at the May 26 concert.
Patrick L. Sullivan
The fifth and sixth grade also performed musical pieces that involved improvisation. The fifth graders used a pentatonic scale and xylophones.
The sixth graders, using xylophone and percussion, worked around a four-chord progression that the students picked.
A determined fifth grader, Emmet King, sat at the piano and flawlessly played “Kumbayah” and “Lone Star Waltz.” Music teacher Danielle O’Neil said Emmet had only been studying the piano for a matter of weeks before the performance and was making significant progress.
In addition to the music, the hallways were adorned with student art attached to the walls above the lockers, turning the event into a visual and performing arts experience.
Emmet Kingplays "Lone Star Waltz" at the concert at the Lee H. Kellogg School May 26.Patrick L. Sullivan
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Fernando Nottebohn says he appreciates Sharon Farm Market as part of a weekly circuit he does from his home in Lithgow, New York, that also includes Paley’s Farm Market
Alec linden
Asked about the store’s appearance and inventory concerns, Chris Choe acknowledged that changes are needed.
“We’re going to take care of everything,” he said. “We’re going to fix the store.”
Choe said remodeling will take place at night so the market can remain open during normal business hours. He describes a grand vision with a revamped deli, online ordering, home grocery deliveries, and a cafe and bakery serving coffee and organic juice,
“My team is almost ready,” he said of the next iteration of the market. He estimates the updates will take several months, and that shoppers can expect a better store experience that will even allow for Door Dash.
The comments come as rumors about the market’s future have circulated throughout Sharon in recent months. Shoppers have reported difficulty finding common grocery items, while two popular businesses operating inside the market have announced plans to leave at the end of September.
Jam Food Shop moving to Salisbury
At the end of September, Jam Food Shop, the deli and prepared-food business that has operated inside Sharon Market for 16 years, will relocate to Salisbury.
Jam owners said the company will relocate to 19 Main St. in the location of the former Neo Restaurant & Bar – which closed its doors permanently last month – and that the decision was not made lightly.
In a letter penned to the community (see letter on A6) Jam expressed its gratitude to the Sharon community, while highlighting a years-long dispute with market ownership.
“For years, we have made attempts to gain clarity around our lease renewal at the Sharon Farm Market,” the letter said. “Unfortunately, in the end, we were unable to reach an agreement with the market, leaving us with a short amount of time to find Jam a new home.”
Choe said the departure of Jam comes after 16 years of partnership, and didn’t get into the specifics of the lease negotiations.
“They want their own place, and I want to make it a better store,” he said.
Choe also pointed to Jam’s prices, which he views as high.
Blue Sea Seafood to permanently close
Blue Sea Seafood, another longtime fixture inside the market, has also confirmed it will depart at the end of September after 16 years in Sharon Farm Market. Owners Sarah and Chuck Lee said they will officially close down on Sept. 30. The pair said they will not be opening a new location elsewhere.
“We’ll miss it,” Sarah Lee said.
Partially stocked shelves have fueled speculation about Sharon Farm Market’s future,though owners say the market is not closing and will be remodeled.Aly morrissey
Shoppers voice concerns
Some residents have pointed to the Choes’ latest venture — Market360, a grocery store near Yale University in New Haven that opened in June 2025 — as a possible factor in the market’s recent inventory and operational challenges.
In an interview with Kim Choe last October, she said the store had required significant time as they worked to find their footing and build a team.
Several shoppers said they have noticed changes at the Sharon market in recent months and worry about its future.
Ann Spindler, a Sharon resident, said she has noticed changes that have sparked concerns throughout town.
“For the last couple months I’ve noticed there are fewer things on the shelves and I’m worried that something is happening and I hope that they’re going to stay around,” Spindler said.
Janay Gregory of Sharon said common items like milk, yogurt and bread have been inconsistently stocked.
“It’s a problem,” Gregory said. “I hear it a lot in the town that there have been a lot of issues, even since Christmas.”
Ellen Moon of Cornwall said she was concerned by an apparent low stock in the store.
“There are blank spaces on the shelves,” she said. “I thought, Oh dear, I hope they’re alright.”
While browsing the shelves Saturday, Sharon resident Michelle McBreairty said she also noticed a lot less inventory.
“I think it would be the demise of this plaza without a grocery store,” she said, recalling the years before Sharon Farm Market opened in 2010.“I hope they do stay,” she added.
Jennifer Naylor, a Sharon resident of 20 years, said she’s concerned for the store’s future. “The seafood’s going, Jam’s going – they’re going to struggle, I think.”
“I would love this to be totally revamped,” she added, noting that she’s always taken issue with what she described as high pricing.
A revamp is exactly what Chris Choe has in mind, and he says he and his wife are hoping to sell their New Haven store just one year after its grand opening to return their attention to Sharon and Millerton.
Choes’ target Thanksgiving for opening of Millerton Grocery Store
Across the state border in Millerton, New York, another grocery store owned by the Choes has endured speculation over the last year amid rumors that they had abandoned the venture. Choe disputes those rumors, as well, saying he and his wife plan to open the store later this year.
The store was originally scheduled to open in June 2025, and was pushed to October before the Choes eventually said the timeline was unclear.
The pair, who purchased Millerton Square Plaza on Route 44 in December 2024 from Joseph Trotta, now say the final construction stages are imminent.
“We’re going to start the construction very soon,” Choe said, adding that he has a new business partner for the Millerton store, though he declined to identify the individual or company, citing ongoing negotiations.
“Together we’ll be fast moving,” he said, noting that he hopes to open the store by Thanksgiving, just ahead of the holiday season.
Among the renovations completed so far are a roof replacement and significant HVAC upgrades. Choe said the remaining work includes installing new flooring, replacing the ceiling, reconfiguring the parking lot and upgrading the storefront. Eventually, they plan to stock locally-sourced produce, meat and seafood from Boston and New York City.
Some residents are skeptical that the Millerton store will open in the fall of 2026.
“Chris has said that for years now,” said longtime Sharon resident Mike Rand.“I’ll believe it when I see it.”
Additional reporting by Nathan Miller, Alec Linden and Madi Long.
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Jam Food Shop plans to move into the former Neo Restaurant & Bar space at 19 Main Street in Salisbury this October after 16 years at Sharon Farm Market.
Madi Long
“This is a very emotional letter that is hard for me to share,” the owner wrote. “Neo Restaurant and Bar is unfortunately coming to an end. We poured our heart, energy and soul every day at Neo, which in return gave us the best customers and friendships we could have ever asked for.”
According to the notice, the restaurant’s final day of operation was May 22.
A farewell sign on the door of the former Neo Restaurant & Bar thanks customers.Madi Long
Neo served pizza, pasta, salads and Italian-inspired entrees, along with seafood dishes, burgers and cocktails. The restaurant opened shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic and became a fixture in downtown Salisbury.
The new tenant will be Jam Food Shop, the popular deli, caterer and prepared foods business that recently announced plans to relocate from Sharon Farm Market when its lease expires at the end of September.
Ethan Watt, a real estate salesperson with William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty whose office is next door, welcomed the news.
“Excellent food, good prepared stuff,” Watt said of Jam. “It’s probably going to be in competition with LaBonne’s, but it’s good to have a little competition.”
Amy Danis, also with William Pitt Sotheby’s International Realty, said she was sorry to see Neo close but enthusiastic about Jam’s arrival.
“We’re very excited to have Jam moving in, because they have excellent sandwiches,” Danis said. “We need a place to get lunch.”
Danis said she is particularly looking forward to the shop’s prepared foods and take-home meal options.
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