Cowtown Cowboy Outfitters has expanded beyond western wear with the opening of its new Marketplace, where Amish foods, snacks, gifts, candies, and more will be sold.
The new Marketplace is an addition to the main store at 761 Route 40 in Pilesgrove, located across from the Cowtown Rodeo.
The expansion adds more than 10,000 square feet to the original 5,000-square-foot building, which also received a facelift during the construction process.
Owner Suzanne Zigo, who taught for 20 years before returning to the family business, said selling food at the marketplace was always part of the original plan, but the idea of selling Amish goods came later.
She noted that the builders who constructed the addition were Old and New Order Amish from Lancaster who “were as honest as the day is long.”
Zigo, who said she knows a lot about boots but not a lot about butter, brought in a manager experienced in food sales. And, this manager has background sourcing from Amish vendors.
The marketplace features butter, eggs, cage-free eggs, a variety of cheeses, cookies, whoopie pies, pumpkin rolls, and frozen pot pies.
Customers can also find chips, pretzels, salsas, gourmet sodas, and iced teas. Plans include adding a heat-and-serve oven for gourmet pizzas, chicken tenders and potato dishes.
“We want it to be clean, fresh, want to know where it came from,” Zigo said about the marketplace offerings. “It’s totally different from Wawa.”
Zigo grew up in the business and said she eventually returned “because I love it so much.”
The company currently employs 12 full-time workers and plans to add more staff.
The complex houses three separate businesses, including Cowtown Cowboy Outfitters, the new Marketplace, and Bullhide Brewery, which the family owns but is operated by another party.
Zigo said customers have commented that they “no longer have to travel to Lancaster for (Amish) products because now they’re here.”
The main store continues to specialize in western wear for the entire family, hand-selecting cowboy boots for men, women, and children.
The store offers cowboy hats ranging from budget-friendly options to high-end felt hats, along with western clothing and a jewelry collection.
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Dining and Cooking