Crosby's Marketplace Opened: late 1990s Owner: Chris Crosby Previous Tenants: Penni's Market (closed 1995) Cooperative: Associated Grocers of New England Location: 118 Washington St, Marblehead, MA Photographed: July 14, 2019 Here in Marblehead's Historic District, a quaint New England downtown street is hiding a surprise: a full-service supermarket tucked away behind (and under) the main business district. Crosby's Marketplace opened in downtown Marblehead in the late 1990s in a newly-built building behind, and at a lower level than, the main downtown strip. But there's an interesting history here that goes beyond the current 15,000 square foot supermarket. For decades, actually since the early 1900s, Penni's Market was located at 120 Washington Street in Marblehead. The store was originally a full-service grocer, later becoming a self-service supermarket and expanding out the back, facing a parking lot. By the 1990s (or possibly earlier), the smal...
Shubie's Marketplace Opened: 2005 in current location; 1948 previously Owner: Carol and George Shube Previous Tenants: none Cooperative: none Location: 16 Atlantic Ave, Marblehead, MA Photographed: March 29, 2025 Welcome to historic Marblehead! The town is a peninsula just east of Salem, and is a destination worth visiting for its beauty and its history . In the historic district of downtown Marblehead, most houses have plaques on them listing the year they were built, the original owner's name, and the original owner's occupation. Some of those houses are as old as the 1660s . The grocery store we're touring today isn't quite that old, having only been constructed in its current 10,000 square foot building in 2005. But in its previous location, the store dates back to the late 1940s. You can read extensively about the gourmet grocer's history on their website . Shubie's is located right on the edge of the official Historic District, and while the rest...