Staff Photo by Allison Carter/Chattanooga Times Free Press
Aljere Leffew, left, and his grandfather Larry High pick out oranges Monday at Mountain Valley Market, a recently opened store in St. Elmo. The store provides fresh produce and as the temperatures warm up the store hopes to provide locally grown produce.• Name: Mountain Valley Market
• Location: 3742 Tennessee Ave.
• Products/services: A wide array of farm fresh fruits and vegetables, local floral arrangements and hand-made soaps, candles and birdhouses. The market will be open year-round and will focus on providing local seasonal produce.
• Age: Starting out as a roadside produce stand in St. Elmo two years ago, the family-owned and operated Mountain Valley Market opened in its freestanding building on Tennessee Avenue on Saturday.
• About the building: The market is currently using about half of the building’s 6,000 square feet. It is formerly the home of Blockbuster Video, which shuttered its doors about a year ago in a downsizing. Though positioned directly next to the Bi-Lo in St. Elmo, the business will be competitive and doesn’t have much to worry about, co-owner Jonathan McBee said.