Ellwood Thompson's Local Market

About this location

A few stories people tell about this place

1. One morning, as customers were browsing through the shelves, an announcement crackled over the store’s speakers: ‘Please be advised that our self-checkout aisle has been temporarily taken over by a friendly neighborhood squirrel.’ A delivery driver tried to shoo it away with his carton of milk, but the squirrel just chittered and scurried off with a bag of chips under its arm. A regular customer, noticing everyone’s confusion, calmly announced, 'Hey, I’ve seen him around—Ellwood calls him Mr. Nuts.' And so, for the next hour, Ellwood Thompson’s became a place where people scanned groceries while chatting amiably with a small furry cashier.

2. A neighborhood kid was helping himself to snacks from the free samples table when he noticed something strange: every time he took a sample, one of the store’s employees would appear out of thin air behind him, offering a friendly smile and asking if he needed any help. Finally, after taking the tenth sample, the boy turned around—and there stood an elderly gentleman in a blue apron, holding a basket full of groceries. ‘I’ve been watching you,’ he said with a twinkle in his eye. ‘You’re not just sampling—you’re stocking up!’

3. At closing time one night, a delivery driver noticed something peculiar—a faint whiff of freshly baked bread wafting through the empty aisles. Curious, he followed the scent deeper into the store. Soon enough, he found an old door ajar, leading to a hidden room filled with rows upon rows of warm, golden loaves. A friendly voice called out from behind the counter: 'Welcome, my good man! Thought you could sneak in for some free bread, did ya?' Turned out it was just a neighbor who’d forgotten to lock up after his late-night baking session.

4. One day after school, a curious child wandered into the market’s produce section and nearly jumped out of their skin—an apple seemed to wink back at them from among the bananas. Curious, the child reached for it—and the apple rolled away, giggling like a mischievous sprite. Startled, they looked around, but everyone in the store was too busy shopping to notice anything unusual. From that day on, locals claimed Ellwood Thompson’s apples had a secret sense of humor.