After more than 175 years serving the Rochester community—including over a decade in its current form, and nearly 50 years on Jefferson Road—our retail store has been thoughtfully renewed.
This wasn’t about starting over. It was about improving how the store works, refining the experience, and continuing to serve our customers the way we always have.
Palmer’s Direct to You Market exists for a simple reason. To bring delicious, restaurant-quality ingredients directly to your kitchen, with a focus on fresh product, butcher craft, and a selection that goes beyond the everyday.
Palmer’s Market has been part of the Genesee Valley Regional Market for the better part of fifty years (we called State Street in downtown Rochester home for another fifty years before that). Our current market opened in 2009, faithfully serving Rochester in a concept that was part specialty butcher, part fishmonger, and part made-to-order restaurant.
Customers, community leaders, partners, and staff gathered in May 2026 to celebrate the grand reopening of Palmer’s Market and the company’s 175th anniversary. The event included a ribbon cutting ceremony, remarks from Palmer Foods leadership, and proclamations recognizing Palmer’s long-standing role in the Rochester community.
As you walk through the doors, the first thing you’ll notice is the space itself. A larger entrance brings in more natural light and creates a more open, welcoming arrival into the store.
Just inside, you’ll find a nod to our history. A quote from fourth-generation owner Bud Palmer anchors the space:
“Goodwill is our greatest asset.”
It’s a simple idea, but one that continues to shape how we operate and how we serve our community.
Moving further in, the store opens up. Removing the drop ceiling gave us the height to introduce brighter, more efficient lighting and clearer sightlines across the space.
The layout now leads directly to the center of what we do—our meat and seafood counters.
One of the biggest updates is right at the counter.
New and expanded coolers make it easier to shop the items our team prepares every day. Clams casino. Hand rolled pinwheels. Stuffed roasts and seafood. Built here and ready when you are.
Designed around the draw of fresh cut and fresh caught, the selection goes further. From beef primals for custom cut steaks to fresh seafood like lobster, oysters, mussels, and whole fish, all in one place.
The same level of product and preparation trusted by restaurants, accessible for everyday cooking at home.
As we approached the redesign, we didn’t have to look far for direction.
Palmer’s traces its roots to 1850, when fresh fish was sold by horse-drawn wagons through the streets of Rochester. From those early days to storefronts on State Street, to today’s market, the business has continually adapted to how people shop and eat.
If you follow the signage over time, you can see that evolution. From early script to bold mid-century lettering, the goal has remained the same. Clarity. Simplicity. Let the product speak.
That thinking carries through today. The updated look draws from that history while helping organize a broader mix of grocery and prepared items.
On the kitchen side, the menu has been refreshed with a focus on what has worked and a broader appeal. The favorites are still here. Some familiar items have been reworked. New dishes have been added based on what customers are asking for.
Fish fry remains a staple, including our in-house breaded wild-caught haddock and Yuengling beer-battered haddock.
We’ve also added a straightforward kids menu and brought back in-store seating. A brighter dining room and kitchen-side counter make it easier to sit, eat, and stay awhile.
From demolition to reopening, a look at the work that reshaped the store.
Originally published at RochesterFirst.com
This page offers a look at the renovation, but it’s only part of the story. Palmer’s has been serving the Rochester community for over 175 years, evolving from a small retail operation into a trusted partner for restaurants and institutions across the region.
To learn more about our history, our wholesale business, and how we continue to serve both kitchens and customers, visit our full company site.
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Palmer’s Direct To You Market