HoneyHour Market brings an old-world warmth to Cashmere’s Side Street

CASHMERE — Side Street has added another anchor to its growing mix of small shops and gathering spaces, as HoneyHour Market opened its doors this week with a nostalgic, quietly elegant feel that owner Heidi Kuhn hopes will become a neighborhood staple.

Kuhn said the idea took hold immediately when she stepped into the space. “The idea started as a tiny seed that literally came to life the moment I saw the space,” she said. “I’ve dreamt of creating a space where good food, community, and a warm sense of belonging all lived under one roof.” What became HoneyHour grew from that first impression into the market she long imagined — a place, she said, “where you know the person behind the counter, where you can grab soup for dinner, or sit for a glass of wine and feel at home.”

HoneyHour mixes several experiences under one roof: It’s part provisions shop, part café, part small wine bar. Kuhn calls it “a boutique neighborhood market,” the kind of place where someone can pick up groceries, find a gift, or meet a friend for coffee. “More than anything, it’s meant to feel like a warm invitation,” she said. “I want people to walk in and think, ‘Oh… I could stay here awhile.’ A little nostalgic, a little European, and very rooted in the heart of Cashmere.”

That feeling is woven into the design. Soft pink tones, checkerboard floors, wood shelving, and small pockets of seating reflect the blend of influences she drew on. “I wanted HoneyHour to feel like stepping inside a memory… something familiar, comforting, and quietly beautiful,” she said. Inspiration came from old European provision shops, her grandmother’s pantry, and the mercantiles where “time seems to slow down.” Even though the market is brand new, she said she wanted it to feel “intentionally imperfect and charming, like a place that’s been here forever.”

Kuhn is equally intentional about what goes on the shelves. “I’m really passionate about curating things that are thoughtful, small-batch, and made with love,” she said. Many of the foods, wines, and handmade goods come from local and regional producers. One of the joys of opening the market, she said, is giving small makers “a home on our shelves” and helping introduce their work to local customers.

More offerings are on the way. The market’s soft-opening hinted at cooking classes and workshops, and Kuhn said those things are taking shape now. “Cooking classes are definitely coming — simple, beautiful meals that people can recreate at home,” she said, along with wine tastings, seasonal workshops, maker spotlights, and guest chef nights.

HoneyHour will also soon open a companion wine bar experience known as The Velvet Den. Kuhn describes it as “a place to sit and sip something delicious, listen to some jazz on vinyl from our neighbors at Cashmere Records.” The Den will offer space for conversation, cards, and slow evenings, the kind of environment “to share a bottle with your favorite person.” She added that her husband, Doug, has been central to the renovation. “Not a single surface doesn’t have his hands on it,” she said.

For Kuhn, the project is personal. Her four grandchildren live just down the road, and she said she hopes HoneyHour becomes part of the pattern of daily life in Cashmere. “Cashmere is growing in such a beautiful way, while keeping its incredible soul intact,” she said. With Side Street emerging as a hub for younger families, small businesses, and local makers, she sees HoneyHour fitting into the momentum already underway. “My hope is that HoneyHour becomes one of the places that makes people say, ‘Let’s wander down there, there’s always something happening.’”

She wants the market to add “warmth, creativity, and connection” to downtown — a reflection, she said, of what makes Cashmere feel like home. “A place that feels like us… local, heartfelt, community-driven, with a touch of something magical.”

And if HoneyHour becomes a place where neighbors meet, visitors feel welcomed, and conversation carries on well past sunset? Kuhn said that will mean the project succeeded. “If HoneyHour can become the place where good food and conversation are always waiting… then we’ve done our job.”

Andrew Simpson: 509-433-7626 or andrew@ward.media