Today we’d like to introduce you to Leslie Cochran and Marianna Raho.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
[Mari] Our story begins in the Fall of 2019 as we sat in the audience for a production at the Melon Patch Theatre in Leesburg. We were introduced by a mutual friend and quickly discovered a shared love of signing. I had recently founded a community choir and happily discovered that Leslie was an alto with lots of choral singing experience. Leslie joined the choir, Generations of Sound, and one evening after rehearsal we decided to go out to dinner.
[Leslie] Marianna was telling me that she had just been offered the opportunity to become an independent distributor for a line of products produced by her dear friends in upstate New York in the Finger Lakes region where they grew up.
As she was sharing her exciting news she suddenly blurted out, “You would be perfect to go into business with! Do you want to do this with me?”
[Mari] to which Leslie quickly responded, “Yes!”
After a very brief discussion of what we would name our business, we landed on MarLee – a combination of Marianna and Leslie and with Mari’s husband, Peter, as a silent partner, MarLee & Co. Market was born. Peter purchased a tent so we could begin doing the farmer’s market circuit, and we have been in business ever since.
We began participating in the Mt Dora Farmer’s Market and were just about to begin vending at the large market at Brownwood Square in The Villages when COVID lockdown began. During that time, we continued to deliver to customer’s homes. When restrictions were lifted, we participated in two markets every weekend and special events when possible. Eventually, we were asked by the social media specialist for the Yalaha Distillery to bring our drink mixers for a tasting and discovered a perfect pairing for each of their distinguished moonshines. We began doing tastings on their large porch and Mari’s husband even performed with his guitar one weekend.
Last summer, we had to give up outdoor markets due to the heat and the need for an indoor, airconditioned space became more necessary than ever. Events lead us back to Mt Dora and into The Marketplace at 334 N. Donnelly St. just a few blocks from the farmer’s market where our business was born.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
[Mari] Our first real challenge was learning to set up the tent! LOL! Fortunately a very kind vendor noticed us that first day in Mt. Dora and immediately came over and offered us his help. He also later encouraged us to check out The Villages market at Brownwood where a number of our fellow vendors were also participating.
[Leslie] My first real challenge was getting up at 5:30 am on the weekend!
Our most troublesome challenge has been the heat starting in late April which prompted our need to move indoors for the summer months. The products are all cold-processed and cannot be exposed to out scorching Florida temperatures.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about MarLee & Co. Market, L.L.C.?
We specialize in all-natural, organic fruit-infused apple cider vinegar products made in the colonial fashion. Most people know the health benefits of apple cider vinegar but dislike the taste of it. Our products have been naturally infused with fruit or root (ginger, turmeric) over a period of 2 – 10 months, during which the vinegar extracts not only the color and flavor but also the nutrients. You then wind up with a very palatable, fruit-forward vinegar, that when added to a glass of water or other cold drink, becomes a refreshing way to enjoy the probiotic benefits.
We believe in fine quality and expert craftsmanship. We want to support other small businesses and to connect them with our community through our shared appreciation and passion for fine work. When we decided to open the store, we wanted to expand our offerings to include elegant, long-lasting serving-ware that in some way accompanies how you might use or serve our apple cider vinegars i.e., drinks, cocktails, salad dressings, dips, marinades…
We feel very strongly about supporting other women owned and small family-owned businesses, where passion drives the desire to share their love of the products they create. Nothing in our shop can be found on Amazon and everything follows the same ethos behind our apple cider vinegars – small-batch, handmade products that someone loved and had a desire to share with others.
We also offer beautifully hand-carved olivewood serving-ware and utensils made by one family from Tunisia, copper Turkish coffee and spice grinders from a CA company that specializes in luxury and affordable kitchenware, imported Polish pottery, flavored salts, peppercorns and spiced sugars from a chef who fell in love with them on a trip to Paris, Indian daal mixes created by a fellow market vendor – a woman-owned business, and our newest addition – craft hot sauces made by a young woman from Ft. Myers who is simply crazy for the perfect blend of heat and flavor made from fresh whole ingredients.
We have begun including unusual artwork by Florida artisans as well and only recently acquired work from a new artist from Sanibel Island – Isle Stay Art by Joleen Mercedes. Her work is currently being shown in a gallery there and we were fortunate enough to be in the right place at the right time to get a few pieces.
Eventually, we hope to open a larger cookshop in Mt. Dora and perhaps spread out to St. Augustine and Sanibel Island – for starters!
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
Leslie and I have worked in customer service, sales & marketing and retail management positions most of our careers so we were already pretty knowledgeable when we started. We have been careful to grow slowly and never to take on more debt than we knew we could pay down in one year. Even so, we were late realizing that we should turn over our taxes to a professional. I think we probably should have gotten an accountant when we started the business, so that would be a word of advice to people just starting out.
Speak with other business owners about their experiences, find local resources like the SBCA whose sole purpose to assist small business owners. You will have to love what you do because you will spend a lot of time doing it, so bring your passion, your joy, and your expertise to your customers. They will appreciate your dedication.
Contact Info:
- Email: MARLEECOMARKET@gmail.com
- Website: www.marleeandcomarket.com
- Instagram: MarLee & Co. Market
- Facebook: MarLee & Co.Market
Image Credits
All images were taken by Leslie Cochran and Marianna Raho
