enthusiasts are buzzing about one of its newest vendors, Marshall’s Creek Spices. The company sells a wide variety of high quality spices – flavorful blends for fish, poultry, tacos and salads are just some of the offerings – for as little as $4 a jar if you buy two at a time.
The company started in the late 1970s when Rich Lager and his wife decided to take their spice product to a market in Marshall’s Creek, Pennsylvania. They became so well-known there that they incorporated the Marshall’s Creek name as part of their moniker.
When that market closed down Dec. 31, 2001, however, the couple needed to find another outlet to sell their wares. In addition to running the business out of their Oceanside shop, the Lagers also found a market in the Meadowlands and in Rockville Centre. Still, they were looking for more markets to sell at though, and soon enough found the Christopher Morley slot.
“This is our first season with this group,” Rich Lager said. The family has been selling out of their Marshall’s Creek Spices truck since June.
Outdoor markets have always been a part of Lager’s history. Ever since he was 18, he has enjoyed working at them.
“There’s a one-to-one relationship with the customer,” he said. “There’s more care for the product and concentration on the product. Personal sellers are more immersed in what they sell.”
It wasn’t always spices for the Lagers, though. Rich Lager started off selling soft goods at flea markets, but moved on to spices when he wanted an item that “was consumable, not frivolous.”
The family found that spices were the right product for them. “You have many importers to select from,” Lager said. “You have control over what’s in it. We don’t have anything with MSG or filler.”
They also like that they don’t have to charge more for their product. “A lot of what you pay with store bought brands goes to advertising and things like that,” he said. “Since we don’t have that, we can give tremendous amounts at a good price.”
Even though they carry over 250 types of spices, they also offer flavorings, dried nuts and fruits and coffees and teas.
The Lager family hopes to continue spending their Wednesday mornings at the Christopher Morley Farmer’s Market.
“We’ve had a great reaction,” Lager said. “People love it. They see the difference in flavor, amount and freshness.”
