Guido's Fresh Marketplace

A New Look | A New Beginning

A trip to Guido’s in Great Barrington used to be an intimate experience. Closely spaced aisles, packed with tantalizing products, were crammed with shoppers from throughout the tristate region.

But all that is a thing of the past now that the market has doubled in size and scope. The crowds are still there but there is a roomier feel and more departments than ever to lure the discriminating shopper.

“There’s a lot of ‘new,’” said Alana Chernila, marketing and communications director. She said finishing touches are being done on the new kitchen and demonstration area and that new salad and hot bars are being added. The cozy Café Rena is in the process of opening with limited hours at present and a few self-checkout stations will be added in coming months. There is also a lot more space for dairy, cheeses, wine and beer with a marked expansion of craft beers that are offered.

While the market expansion is nearing completion, Chernila said, “We are moving step by-step so everything is launched right. We have been open the whole time the expansion has been underway and it has been great that we could continue to serve the community. Both the staff and the public have been great which is a testament to our owners, Chris and Matt Masiero, who built the business over the past 44 years.”

The Masiero brothers operate stores in both Pittsfield and Great Barrington MA but it is the southern-most store that has seen the greatest changes over the past three years, expanding to a total of 40,000 square feet to accommodate larger departments and new amenities.

The Chef Shop, previously located on Railroad Street in Great Barrington before becoming a tenant in both Guido’s outlets, now has a “very much expanded space and selections,” in Great Barrington. “You can spend hours in there,” reported Chernila “There’s a huge selection.”

Mazzeo’s Meat and Seafood operates another department and is one of the area’s prime sources for premium meats. “Mazzeo’s is a full-service butcher and sells seafood,” said Chernila. “They are bringing in really beautiful meats.

“We have a bright new bakery where you can buy house-made breads and baked goods,” she continued, “and we are developing new things like a burrito bar and pizza counter and a whole smoker and barbecue program.”

Guido’s has always provided floral arrangements and cut flowers in both stores but now Bella Flora, owned by Chris and Matt’s sister, Annie, and her husband Chris Whalen, has an enlarged flower and gift department in the Great Barrington store. “It’s another family-owned business and is a full-service florist. We’ve always done custom floral arrangements but it was done in small spaces in Great Barrington. Now, they have a beautiful area.”

But perhaps the biggest change on the horizon for Guido’s is not in the bricks-and-mortar presentation of the Great Barrington store but rather in a generational transition. A new generation of Masieros stands poised to take over ownership in 2024.

“It’s been in the process for several years,” said Chernila. “We have two owners (Matt and Chris Masiero) and three of their children will be taking over. It is often a problem to find a new generation to take over a family business but we are lucky to have that. It’s a beautifully balanced team, all bringing different talents. They definitely live and breathe Guido’s.”

All three scions absorbed the mystique of Guido’s while working in the two stores as youngsters and have since worked in all departments and specialties. For now, the trio has divided the workload with Anna operating the new café, Luke in the produce department and Nick taking on a role as part of the buying and replenishment team for groceries.

Guido’s was started in 1979 when Chris and Matt Masiero combined their experience in the culinary arts and produce, borrowed $2,500 from their father, Guido, and opened a roadside stand in Pittsfield. They set their standards high, offering exceptionally fresh and robust produce and quickly outgrew the business’s humble origins.

Within two years they debuted Guido’s Fresh Marketplace where vendors specializing in meat, fish, flowers and prepared foods joined forces with the produce section to create an Old World-style food emporium. In 1995 the brothers opened a second location in Great Barrington.

It was just the start however. Today, Guido’s employs about 300 persons, some of whom have been with the company for 20 or 30 years. The stores offer products garnered from local farmers and food crafters within a 150-mile radius as well as specialty items imported from Europe.

“We always work on the tenet that we support the community and the community supports us. We hold ourselves to the standards we believe in,” said Chernila. “That really speaks to customers as something they want to support and the owners are really grateful to the community. There’s a lot of good feeling all around. It’s just been lovely.”