By Gary Meyer

In the past year, big changes have occurred with markets serving the Western

Antelope Valley along Highway 138. Gil’s Country Store in Western Neenach closed its doors and both the other markets have new owners.

We caught up the new owners and asked what’s shakin’.

Wee Vill Market
18348 W. Ave. D • 661-724-2200

Although the property is owned by Terry Soloman, the Wee Vill Market business was owned by the owners of the Antelope Acres Market before it closed for remodeling in early 2011. New owner Jim Olesh opened in July.

“We’re now offering a larger variety throughout the market, nightly dinner specials in the restaurant and Saturday barbecues,” Olesh said. “We offer homemade food, make our own bread and peach cobbler and prepare our own sandwich meats. Our plan is to become price competitive with Stater Brothers markets [as we begin to] provide a fully-stocked grocery store.”

Olesh says he has received a small boost in business from the solar company project across the highway at 170th Street West.

Fairmont Market
22847 W. Ave. D • 661-724-1100

John Gaglione is proud to say that with his purchase of Fairmont Market on July 13, the store is “now back to being locally owned.” The hard-working shop owner has lived for 21 years in Holiday Valley.

Gaglione says he has increased inventory, “brightened the place up” and now offers more choices. “We have fresh made-to-order deli sandwiches and hot dogs, and we’ll be offering hot breakfast and lunch items starting in about two weeks. We now also offer propane,” he said on December 6.

Gaglione said the store is starting to see a bit more business from the solar construction projects as workers arrive for work in the mornings and look for options at lunchtime.

Unfortunately for residents, however, the gasoline tanks are still running on empty.

This is part of the December 09, 2011 online edition of The Mountain Enterprise.

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