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NATCHEZ – After more than a year of planning and work, Craig and Patti Sanders opened the doors of Canal Street Market this weekend.

The marketplace, located at 531 S. Canal St. in Natchez, offers gourmet and specialty foods and beverages, fresh meats and seafoods and freshly prepared salads, soups and more.

“Everybody seems to love it so far,” said Craig Sanders. The market is in the midst of a soft opening, as the couple continues to build. Inventory and services.

“We just sort of decided to go ahead and open on balloon race weekend,” Sanders said. “We figured we might as well go ahead and do it …

“We’re still getting things in; we just got nine more boxes in today.”

Sanders said the couple’s vision for the market is to provide items visitors may need and locals may want, including goods that might not be readily available at grocery stores in the market. Offerings include imported crackers and flatbreads; specialty mustards, jams and spreads; ethnic food products; imported cheeses; gourmet ice creams and cheesecakes; and freshly prepared take-and-go items such as chicken salad (loaded or plain); black bean and corn salad; Greek feta pasta salad; and from-scratch daily soups.

During the weekend, the market also offered hazelnut-filled chocolate croissants and burnt end brisket sausage rollovers for breakfast. “Our suppliers have really worked with us to find things that are unique to our area,” Sanders said.

The market also offers salmon, shrimp, seafood and meats, including filets and ribeye steaks in stock. “We’ll also be able to take special orders for meats,” Sanders said.

The couple will be adding a coffee and desert counter in coming weeks, as well.

Sanders’ wife, Patti, is a real estate agent and Sanders’ father was an owner of Grocery Depot for many years. And while Patti Sanders said she never thought she’d own a specialty food market, she loves the opportunity. “I love visiting with the people,” she said. “It’s fun.”

And it’s also a family affair. Daughters. Taylor McGlothin and Trista McGlothin are also on-board, cooking and helping with the market.

The market is open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and Sanders said he expects to add Sunday hours soon.