Opening his own market and bistro was a natural progression for Stephen Goyda, owner and chef at Union Market Square in Arkell, after many years in the restaurant business.
“I started when I was 13 years old as a dishwasher and just never left,” said Goyda. “I went to the University of Guelph for hotel and food administration and then Niagara College for hands on training.”
He moved around a lot to find work and build experience in the industry and eventually settled in Arkell with his wife Jessica and their three young children aged 6, 4 and 3.
“My wife’s grandfather used to run a store out of this exact location,” said Goyda. “He had a little bakeshop and he would do sandwiches.”
The store closed after his wife’s grandfather, Andy Sloot, passed away in the summer of 2015.
“It went through a couple tenants and my father-in-law asked if we wanted to fill the gap,” said Goyda. “I said sure. Why not? Let’s go for it.”
They opened the doors of Union Market Square in late May of this year.
“We have a café and bistro,” said Goyda. “We do a lunch service and we are hoping to open for dinners in October. We are licensed, which is nice so we can offer a glass of wine or a pint of beer if someone is interested.”
They do catering and also have a small market and butcher shop.
“We sell some seasonal produce and some unique things you just can’t find at the local grocery stores,” said Goyda. “We try to support local as much as we can. We have a great partnership with Planet Bean. They have been great for us.”
Their location at the intersection of Watson and Arkell Roads in the centre of downtown Arkell has made it a popular stop for locals and people from the city looking for a quiet country setting to share a meal and catch up.
It is also an ideal location for Goyda and his family.
“We live just down the street from the store,” said Goyda. “It's awesome. It’s the first job I’ve had where I can walk to work.”
