Farmer Frank’s moves

Published 12:56 am Saturday, December 3, 2011

Farmer Frank’s: From left, Christine Dotson, Jill Peacock and Juanita Gillis work at Farmer Frank’s Farm Market in Holland. The store recently moved up the street to expand and offer eat-in dining for breakfast and lunch. The store also has homemade jams and jellies, local produce, antiques and more.

Holland residents looking for their favorite local store only have to drive a little farther up the road to find it.

Farmer Frank’s Farm Market has moved to a new location, the old Randzz bar, and expanded to offer hot breakfast and lunch.

“This is a better location, and we can offer sit-in eating,” owner Jill Peacock said.

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The new location is decorated with items from old Holland stores and gives off a ‘50s vibe, Peacock said.

“You just can’t go anywhere and get home cooking and a root beer float anymore,” she said.

The newest feature of the store is, indeed, the home cooking, which they did not have room for in the old location. The menu includes a variety of sandwiches, hot entrees, soups and salads.

Everything is made from scratch, Peacock said, including butter made on site and eggs picked directly out of the chicken coop.

“I learned how to cook mountain style,” said cook Juanita Gillis, whose family is from West Virginia and Tennessee. “Food’s not good if you don’t put a little seasoning in it.”

Gillis said she is proud of Peacock for putting together the new location, in addition to working part-time as a firefighter/paramedic for Suffolk Fire and Rescue, teaching paramedical care at Tidewater Community College and homeschooling her three boys.

“It was really breathtaking to watch her get it together,” Gillis said. “She was like a kid at Christmas.”

Peacock is the daughter of Frank Holland, who started the business in 1989 to sell vegetables from his garden and peanut fields. It now has four employees.

The new store also set up a table for folks to play checkers.

The store also sells jams and jellies made on site, local produce, antique furniture, country hams and side meat, boiled peanuts, pickles, pimento cheese and candy.

“It’s like we’re in the ‘50s,” Peacock said. “The environment has changed so much.”