Empanadas and Triple Crown glory: New Lexington market and cafe worth a gallop

Growing up in Foxborough, Mass., Debbie Morris recalls with fondness accompanying her parents to the town’s general store.

If you are of a certain age, you understand her nostalgia. The general store was often the meeting place for an entire community – a place where you could pick up groceries, gossip over a cup of coffee and jaw with your neighbors during a hotly contested game of checkers.

Today, that image of the general store can mostly be found on re-runs of “Little House on the Prairie” or “The Andy Griffith Show” as community has been replaced by convenience.

We have become a “get in, get out quick” generation, and Morris would like to change that. In November she purchased the Airport Food Mart next to the Rodeway Inn on Versailles Road which had been in operation for 23 years and began her quest to bring back the general store under a new name: Silver Streak Market.

“I’m certainly not criticizing traditional convenience stores, as they have a place,” says Morris. “I just envision this store to be something different.”

Customers can still find beverages, snacks and the usual amenities, as well as affordable gasoline (Morris wasn’t the Herald-Leader’s long time Fru-Gal columnist for nothing.)

“One of my passions is promoting saving in shopping,” she acknowledges, “especially in these times.”

So, just what distinguishes Silver Streak Market from the chain convenience stores?

For one thing, when you walk in, you are struck by the “horsey” décor. Stencils of horses line the walls, along with one-of-a-kind, autographed photos of Hall of Fame jockeys and trainers. There is a photo of Keeneland icon Bucky Sallee bugling the call to the post and a winning ticket from the Belmont Stakes signed by Bob Baffert.

The big draw, however, is a glass-enclosed display taking up an entire wall that can only be described as an equine shrine. Its centerpiece is the blanket that was draped over Triple Crown winner American Pharoah following his Kentucky Derby victory, coupled with the dried floral bouquet of roses. Surrounding it are newspaper clippings and other Derby memorabilia.

Morris was able to collect the memorabilia because of her connections to the horse industry. Her husband Joe “has been in the industry his entire life,” managing race tracks all over the country (his last being Santa Anita in California.) In addition, the couple own 20-acre Silver Streak Ranch just west of Keeneland where they raise Standardbreds and board all horse breeds.

“Because of our connections and because we are located in the heart of horse country, we wanted to have a place where farm workers would feel at home” says Morris.

There are five tables in the store itself – placed six feet apart – where farm workers and the general public can stop by for lunch and a cold beer while watching races on the wide screen TV.

Another thing that separates Silver Streak from the average convenience store is the on-site restaurant, Liam, which will have six additional tables post-pandemic.

We’ve all heard the warnings not to eat sushi (or any other food for that matter) from the same place you buy your gas. But adventurous eaters also know that good food can be found in unexpected places.

Like at Liam. Morris has leased the space to two chefs from Honduras, Selvin Mejia and Alex Ventura, who polished their cooking chops at Italian restaurants on Long Island in New York. So, don’t be surprised to find lasagna or spaghetti on the lunch menu, along with Mexican favorites such as burritos, empanadas and tacos and comfort food such as beef brisket and chicken soup. Alas, you probably still won’t be able to get sushi.

Liam, which is named for Mejia’s son, is open as a deli for takeout – now for lunch only, but Morris plans to add breakfast and dinner when it’s feasible to do so.

Other post-pandemic plans include a picnic area for warm weather dining and a small farmer’s market selling Kentucky Proud products.

As with most general stores, Silver Streak Market is very much a family affair. Morris’s partner in the venture is her son John; Joe and her other son, Brett, will also be pressed into duty and don’t be surprised to see her 18-month-old grandson Maverick making things livelier.

Also, like most general stores, Morris wants Silver Streak to be a welcome oasis where you can find more than just toilet paper and potato chips.

“We’ll go the extra mile for our customers,” says Morris, citing the recent case of a neighborhood woman who left the house without her purse and needed gas.

“I told her to go ahead and pump it and she could pay me later,” she says. “She did and was back within 15 minutes, money in hand.”

Try doing that at Speedway.

If you need any more proof that Silver Streak isn’t your typical gas station/convenience store, Morris gives it.

“It’s not unusual for a customer to run in and pick up a racing form while filling his tractor at the pump.”

Silver Streak Market

Where: 5584 Versailles Road

Hours: 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily

This story was originally published December 17, 2020 at 9:25 AM.