Westport and Weston rally around Peter’s Weston Market in light of Coronavirus

 

                                 Photo by Julia Kasabian ’21
Peter’s Weston Market has raised close to $120,000 to help keep the store, an integral part of Westport and Weston, running.

Peter’s Weston Market has been a place of importance for Westport and Weston communities for many years. Due to Coronavirus, hard times have set upon the business. Thus, a GoFundMe page was set up to help cover the costs of a smaller staff and fewer customer visits. As of May 11, $119,917 of the market’s $200,000 goal had been raised. 

“Waking up and feeling the support of the community has left me feeling refreshed, energized and excited about what the future may hold for the business,” Jim Magee, owner of Peter’s Weston Market, said in an update to the GoFundMe page.

Westport and Weston community members love Peter’s Weston Market. On the GoFundMe page, comments from donors praised the market’s staff, owners and food. 

“Not only is a ton of the food made in front of you and is delicious, but the people that work there are so nice and it always feels like a community vibe,” Weston resident Kellie Couch said.

“Not only is a ton of the food made in front of you and is delicious, but the people that work there are so nice and it always feels like a community vibe

— Kellie Couch

Peter’s Weston Market has been in the Magee family for over 40 years. Jim Magee began working at Peter’s Bridge Market (as it was previously known) at the age of 11 and took over the business in the early 1990s. In the past few years, the business had begun to struggle.

“The times have been tough over the last five plus years and we had already thought about reaching out to the community before the pandemic hit,” Anna Magee, the owner’s daughter, said. “Having said that, we did not expect the extreme outpouring of love and support that we have received at all.”

In these trying times, acts of kindness have been popping up everywhere. People have been showing support for one another in small and big ways. For Peter’s, support has been shown in a very big way, and the Magee family is grateful. 

It can be difficult to run a small business these days,” Anna Magee said,“but the rewards have certainly outweighed those challenges.”