Way Fruit Farm Closing Downtown State College Market

A Centre County farm is closing its downtown State College market, citing the cost of rent as the reason.

Way Fruit Farm’s Downtown Market & Cafe, 252 E. Calder Way, will shut its doors on Saturday after four years in business.

“Our lease is up & negotiations to secure a reasonable price have failed us,” owners Jason and Megan Coopey wrote in a social media post. “We are sorry to be leaving downtown as we have enjoyed the adventure!”

The downtown market opened in August 2022 at the corner of Calder Way and McAllister Street in the two-floor space that had last been home to Little Food Court.

Since then it has brought much of what is offered at the farm in Halfmoon Township to the downtown population center, including a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables, bakery items, dairy, snacks, craft sodas and, more recently, wine.

The lower-level cafe, meanwhile, dished out breakfast, lunch and dinner, with wraps, bowls, salads, soups and mac and cheese.

The Coopeys will continue operating the market and cafe at their 200-year-old, sixth-generation family farm at 2355 Halfmoon Valley Road.

Thank you to everyone including customers, employees, fellow small business owners & Downtown State College that supported us during the last 5 years in this new endeavor!” they wrote. “Our farm & store in Port Matilda are still going strong, so we hope to keep serving you there soon instead!”