The shelves at Peck’s Market, Pine Plains’ only grocery store, appeared thinly stocked this week as the century-old family business confronts mounting financial and legal pressure. After failing to respond to a federal lawsuit seeking more than $77,000 for unpaid food deliveries, the store now risks a default judgment that could leave its owners liable.
The suit, filed in April by Connecticut distributor Bozzuto’s Inc., alleges Peck’s Market owes $77,959.49 for deliveries made between February 2024 and April 2025, plus $3,650 in legal fees. On Aug. 8, United States District Court Judge Jessica G. L. Clarke ordered owners Donald and Charlene Peck to show cause why a default judgment should not be entered. Court records show no response was submitted by the Aug. 18 deadline.
It is unclear when Clarke is expected to rule. A default judgment would mean the Pecks lose the case without a trial and could be ordered to pay the full amount. The attorney for Bozzuto’s declined to comment.
In a phone interview on Wednesday, Don Peck said the family is considering options, including raising money by selling or borrowing against property. “We’re very optimistic about the lawsuit,” he said. “We’ll take care of that. As far as the store itself, we’re trying to keep optimistic about it. We’re working at it.”
Still, Peck acknowledged the store’s shrinking inventory and the difficulties facing small, independent grocers. He said he loves the business but raised the possibility of closing or selling the store, noting that several potential buyers have expressed interest.
“We have a lot of options, just closing and selling, of course, is one,” he said. ”Hopefully if we did do that, people would come up with an idea that would work for a small town.”
For Pine Plains, the stakes are considerable. The nearest full-service supermarkets are more than 15 miles away — Hannaford in Red Hook, Tops in Rhinebeck, Freshtown in Amenia, or LaBonne’s in Salisbury, Conn. That distance poses a hardship for older residents and those without reliable transportation.
Peck said members of the community have offered support, but no clear path forward has emerged. “There’s no definite thing right now,” he said. “People are interested in supporting us in different ways. So I’m not sure which direction we’re going to go in.”
Peck also pointed to broader changes in the grocery industry that have left independent stores vulnerable. “A lot of our suppliers today are different than they were 40 years ago. They demand a certain amount of volume, because they’re taking care of bigger stores, so the volume that we have to get from them to get so many cases of grocery or dairy, or meat or frozen, has all gone up…. All these things have changed so much. It’s just unbelievable.”
Laura Strange, chief communications and engagement officer for the National Grocers Association, said many independents face similar pressures. “Independent grocers continue to navigate significant challenges in today’s marketplace,” she said. “Costs for goods, utilities, rent, and labor have all increased, yet independents have worked to compress margins to help consumers absorb rising prices and remain competitive. Even in this environment, their resilience, innovation, and commitment to their communities remain unmatched.”
Food sourcing has also dwindled, Peck said. “We used to have 57 suppliers of product coming here. You know, now we have 17. A lot of them are out of business … and a lot of them have been sucked up by other distributors.”
Brothers William and Robert Peck founded Peck’s Food Market in 1922, and Don represents the third generation of family ownership. Despite the uncertainty, he expressed hope the business will survive. “We’re working at it,” he said. “Thank God, we believe in God and Jesus. He’s with us, trying to figure out how to do this. So we’ll see what happens.”
A contrast with Marona’s in Millbrook, also IGA, would be informative.
For years, Pecks was an important part of our community. It was where our kids would pick their watermelon and get bubbles, BJ knew exactly how we liked our meat cut, Janice asked about your weekend. And we’d catch up with neighbors. But times have changed, as they do, and we all need to adapt.
The opinion of, and the comprehensive effect on, the residents and business owners of Pine Plains are missing from this story. The community at large is suffering from this situation and have been for longer than this article references. It’s hurting the entire town. A grocery store is the hub of a small town and ours has been near empty for a very, very long time. When people are forced to go elsewhere to shop, they also go to that destination for everything else they need for the sake of convenience. Not having a functioning grocery store is hurting every business we have left and every single resident. I am sorry for Peck’s challenges but it’s not all about them. We all know the offers are out there, let’s move on and adapt for the sake of Pine Plains.
Very true and well put. I hope there is a positive outcome for both the Pecks and the community.
This is the end result of all the big box take over of this country . What a shame a generational local Business can be destroyed but the mega corps, leaving towns like Pine Plains food deserts and beholden to the corporate blood suckers.
It’s heartbreaking to see this news about Peck’s. If we could only go back to when we lived there, Brandon. I remember Peck’s offering to help my parents when my mother was seriously ill (my father politely declined), but the offer was there. The town was amazing and supportive. I wish there was something that could be done to save this small business. What a wonderful town Pine Plains is and to not have Peck’s there would be a huge loss to the community.
sad but about time. the town would be much better off with a grocery store with groceries in it.
I remember when Pine Plains had a Grand Union!
“I’m not sure which direction we’re going to go in.”
Sounds like the business plan/mantra of the store for years! No wonder the place is in disarray and empty!