Stokes Market

About this location

A few stories people tell about this place

1. One morning, while checking out, a regular noticed an old newspaper clipping tucked inside his bag of groceries. Curious, he unfolded it to reveal a cryptic message: ‘Find what’s missing here.’ He showed it around, and soon everyone was on the hunt for clues hidden in their bags. Turned out, every receipt had a tiny puzzle piece printed on it—by the time they were done, they’d solved a riddle leading to a free dessert in the bakery section. A regular declared it the best way Stokes Market ever said ‘thank you.’

2. In the early hours of one foggy morning, a delivery driver pulled up to the loading dock and noticed something peculiar wafting from the open door: a scent like freshly baked bread mixed with… maple syrup? Curious, he peered inside, only to see rows upon rows of shelves stocked with identical loaves, each labeled ‘Maple Bread’ but none bearing any recognizable brand. As he picked up one of the loaves, he heard a soft voice whisper, 'Take what you want.' Confused, he looked around—no one was there. Later that day, when a regular customer asked for some maple bread, the manager shrugged and said, 'Oh yeah, we’ve had an endless supply ever since.’

3. At dawn, when most markets are quiet, a delivery driver parked outside Stokes Market and noticed something strange. The parking lot was filled with boxes, but none had labels or logos on them. Curious, he opened one box—inside was an old newspaper from last year. Confused, he called his neighbor who happened to be a grocer. Together they found that every box contained random items from past deliveries. It turned out to be a clerical error, and everyone had a good laugh over it.

4. At dusk, as customers began leaving Stokes Market, a familiar voice called out from the parking lot: ‘Hey, did anyone notice that sign on the back of the truck?’ A regular passing by glanced over and said, 'No, I didn’t see anything.' Then an old delivery driver chimed in, ‘I saw it too—said “Sale on carrots!”’ Everyone laughed, realizing it was just another day at Stokes Market, where signs sometimes get creative.