LOUISE BOLGER | SUN
Brian Seymour shows the 200 varieties of wine
displayed in the front section of the store.
On Anna Maria Island, there's a village within a village and not just any village, but a green village. And what every village needs is a general store, and not just any general store, but a general store that sells wine, gourmet and specialty foods and has an awesome deck.
Anna Maria General Store and Deli on Pine Avenue in Anna Maria has been owned by Brian Seymour since July 2012 after managing it for the prior 2 ½ years. Originally located a little further down Pine Avenue, in August last year, Seymour relocated his business into Anna Maria's Historic Green Village. Not only was he eager to be in this location in order to expand his services and inventory, but he was also enticed by the green concept the village had embraced.
The building Anna Maria General Store now occupies is solar power, energy efficient with an eco-friendly cooling system. The Historic Green Village has earned a platinum LEED rating and is a net zero energy village. In addition, when Seymour was redesigning the space for his business, he insisted on using reclaimed wood on both the pine floors and the rustic display shelves and wine racks of what once was a vintage family home. As great looking as the general store is with high ceilings and French doors, the real appeal is what's inside.
The front section of the store is a combination of a well stocked wine shop and a mini "what you forgot to bring to the beach" store. Seymour carries 200 varieties of wine, artfully displayed, that will satisfy the fussiest of wine drinkers. The other half is a catch all shop where you can find a little bit of everything from suntan lotion to fishing gear to beach chairs, in addition to some local works of art.
The deli is the heart of Anna Maria General Store, and in its new location, there is a kitchen with a much wider variety of both hot and cold food. The deli offers an assortment of cold sandwiches like roast beef, turkey, ham and cheese, tuna, egg and chicken salad, as well as hot pressed sandwiches including a Cuban.
Seymour also offers breakfast every day featuring omelets, breakfast sandwiches, eggs, waffles and biscuits and sausage. Stop in after breakfast for some of the grill specials like pulled pork, burgers, Reubens and cheese steak.
The potato, macaroni, Farfalle and other salads are made in house, and coffee and tea are always available. The baked goods take up an entire display case and include cake by the slice, brownies, cupcakes, cookies and muffins. Across the room is another large display case containing cheeses of all types including Wisconsin cheese, ice cream and frozen locally prepared pizza. Most of the prepared items come from local businesses like Tyler's Ice Cream, Hometown Desserts, V & C Italian Kitchen, St. Armands Baking Company, the Traveling Gourmet, the Village Idiot and others.
In addition, there is a large selection of groceries, fresh fruit and vegetables, snacks, tobacco products, water and soda. Anna Maria General Store also has about 15 types of beer including local craft beers and local and national newspapers. You could literally live out of this store during an entire vacation and never leave the Anna Maria City limits.
And what about that great deck with nice comfortable sofas and tables where you could get breakfast or lunch and watch the passing parade along Pine Avenue? The deck is frequently used for Island events like Food & Wine on Pine and Bayfest, and Seymour is planning on scheduling some special food and wine events on the deck as well. He is also working on stocking more gourmet and specialty items.
Seymour wants to thank all of the wonderful full time, seasonal and vacation customers who have supported the Anna Maria General Store and especially his seven member staff, most of whom have been with him a long time
The Anna Maria General Store does indeed look like a timeless general store, which is exactly what Seymour was trying to achieve. Check out the only general store within the only green village on Anna Maria Island – your friendly local store.
ANNA MARIA GENERAL STORE AND DELI
503 Pine Avenue, Anna Maria
941-779-9200
www.annamariageneralstore.com
Monday – Thursday: 7 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Friday – Saturday: 7 a.m. - 10 p.m.
Sunday: 8 a.m. - 7 p.m.
All major credit cards accepted