‘Simple but elevated’

Feeding the community at The Granary General Store

By Ben Olson
Reader Staff

Sam Podmajerski and Emily Peilleron want to feed the community. The co-owners of The Granary General Store opened their doors earlier this summer, adding another local business to the buzzing Granary Arts District.

Immediately upon walking into The Granary General Store, located at 518 Oak St. across from Matchwood Brewing Co., the small-town comfortable vibe is evident. Follow your nose to the wide counter filled with savory and sweet baked goods, meats, cheeses and picturesque loaves of bread. Staffed by a dozen smiling employees, going into the bakery and cafe feels familiar, as if it’s always been a part of Sandpoint.

Open every day except Wednesday from 7 a.m.-4 p.m., The Granary has carved a niche for itself in the arts district, both as a popular breakfast and lunch spot as well as a place to stock up before going out on the boat or on a picnic.

The co-owners first met at the Sandpoint Farmers’ Market, where Podmajerski had a booth selling her sourdough bread.

“I started making bread about 10-11 years ago,” Podmajerski told the Reader. “I was feeding my first-born child solid food and looking at the ingredients; when you have a kid, it awakens a level of care. I’d go into a store and see there were 40 ingredients in a loaf of bread, so that really kicked it off for me.”

Podmajerski specialized in loaves that were simple, rustic and made with as few ingredients as possible. She had gained a robust following at the market, selling hundreds of loaves every week.

After a decade running a bakery in the Basque region of France, Peilleron found herself in Sandpoint raising her children and looking for a way to connect with the community.

The two eventually began offering quarterly Sandpoint Supper Club events at Evans Brothers Coffee — an after-hours potluck where they’d provide bread, cheese and wine.

“Everyone would pick a dish and we’d share and spend the evening together,” Peilleron told the Reader. 

“There’s a real longing in this town to gather and be together,” Podmajerski added. “The greatest people bond around food.”

The Granary offers an eclectic menu that focuses on high quality ingredients taken up a notch, or “simple but elevated,” as Podmajerski and Peilleron put it.

Front and center are the mouth-watering breads, which are Podmajerski’s specialty. She creates everything from sourdough to focaccia, also offering gluten-free options from the freezer.

Mornings start with fresh quiches and a bakery counter filled with delightful items made 100% from scratch. Throughout the morning, the staff brings out housemade sandwiches on focaccia, baguettes and sourdough breads.

“They’re really easy to travel with, for people who want to grab-and-go for the boat or bike rides,” Peilleron said.

Along with baked goods and unique sandwiches, The Granary also offers a European-style charcuterie supply, with tinned and cured meats, cheeses, mustards, jams, unique butters and more. In the freezer are tuna salads, shredded carrot salads, frozen cinnamon rolls to take and bake, ice cream from Clark Fork’s Mountain Cloud Creamery and more.

“We also have a tinned fish focus,” said Peilleron. “It’s come a long way in the last 10 years. … It pairs really well with sourdough and butter.”

Coffee is served using two different kinds of beans — both from Spokane roasters — and The Granary offers local Tea Treehouse for its hot and iced tea selections.

They also have a beer and wine license, with canned craft cocktails, wine, beers and ciders available for in-house or to-go purchases.

The Granary offers two signature plates on its menu: The Granary plate featuring cured meats, soft-boiled eggs and avocado, while the tuna plate includes housemade tuna salad with pickled onions. Another popular item is the high-protein burrito with ground beef from Wood’s Meats, eggs, cottage cheese and mozzarella.

As far as locations go, Podmajerski and Peilleron were over the moon to open their bakery within the Granary Arts District.

“I love the neighborhood and the arts district feeling,” Podmajerski said. “We love Matchwood and Evans Brothers as community spaces as well.”

Podmajerski and Peilleron worked diligently with their husbands and volunteers to transform the space from its former use as Syringa Cyclery into what it is today. One surprise ended up being an outdoor seating area offering shade and privacy from the street.

“Before we put it together, you couldn’t even tell there was a yard back there,” Peilleron said. “Now that it’s there, it’s actually pretty big. You’re off the street and it feels nice and airy, too.”

The pair said they have only just begun to showcase their ever-revolving menu items, with new additions set to launch throughout the year. They are planning on offering special events in the fall, including a return to their popular Sandpoint Supper Clubs. 

For now, though, they continue to be thrilled to see their shared dream realized.

“None of this is possible without bakers and employees, without everything coming together and everyone working together,” Podmajerski said. “We appreciate everyone who is working so hard to sustain this dream of ours.”

Visit thegranarygeneralstore.com to sign up for their mailing list and learn more.