Liberty Market Will Survive

This is good news. Here is what the AZ Republic says about this Gilbert icon:

Liberty Market, one of Gilbert's oldest continuously running businesses, has new ownership.

Joe Johnston, co-owner of Joe's Real BBQ, which is diagonally across Gilbert Road from the market in downtown Gilbert, has purchased the store along with his two brothers.

But no major changes are planned, Johnston said.

The Heritage District business will remain a grocery and will keep its name. The façade will get a minor rehab, Johnston said.

"I wanted to make sure it would stay pretty much as it is," he said. "I love this sign."

Johnston said his goal for Liberty Market is to "update it to something more in keeping with this period."

The new Liberty Market will offer sit-down food service as well as more prepared foods to go, including sandwiches, salads and baked goods.

Retail items sold at the new store would not be found in grocery stores, Johnston said.

The market would "be selling atmosphere and a sense of place you don't find in strip centers," he said. "It wouldn't really compete with grocery stores."

The transaction was finished in January, Johnston said, declining to reveal the price.

Sam and Mary Bromert, who sold to Johnston and his brothers, will operate Liberty Market as long as they would like, Johnston said.

When they decide they no longer want to run the market, it will close temporarily, he said.

The new Liberty Market likely will reopen in 2007, Johnston said, adding that he still is developing Joe's Farm Grill and The Coffee Shop, a restaurant and coffeehouse in Agritopia near Ray and Higley roads in Gilbert.

Those businesses are expected to open this year, he said.

Although Johnston is developing The Coffee Shop, another family will operate it.

When The Mister and I were newlyweds, I used to go to the Liberty Market for tortillas, and various hard to find Mexican food ingredients. The Mister, of course, grew up going there all the time, and he knew the owners, as he knew most of the Gilbert business owners. The original owner died recently, and though the current owners have been in place for some time, we were wondering about the future of the market.

If Joe Johnston is involved, we feel secure in the knowledge that Libery Market will be well handled, and another piece of Gilbert will be preserved.