‘It’s a lot of who we are.’ What to expect at Way Fruit Farm’s new State College location

If you’ve been to downtown State College recently, you may have spotted a new storefront on East Calder Way. Port Matilda’s Way Fruit Farm, which has been a staple on the Centre County agricultural scene for decades, has opened a new, second and more centralized location near the Penn State campus.

For co-owner Jason Coopey, adding some “local flare back to downtown” was part of the goal.

“We’re one of several (businesses) that have opened on that street. I feel like that little chunk of Calder Way really has a chance to become a neat little spot for people that are looking for local businesses to go to,” he said. “There are a lot of cool little local spots starting to open in that chunk of town. I just think that’s a wonderful thing.”

Opening a second location also allows Way Fruit Farm to reach an expanded customer base. Over the COVID-19 pandemic, Coopey said that many Penn State students were newly introduced to Way Fruit Farm when both parents and students alike began using the farm’s online delivery service.

“We thought, ‘You know what? Why don’t we serve them where they’re at?’ We had stopped doing some of the farmers markets and we thought being in that chunk of town would help us with our name recognition and with (distribution),” Coopey said.

The new location quickly came together over the course of the last six months, with doors opening just last month. For those who are more familiar with Way Fruit Farm’s Port Matilda farm and market at 2355 Halfmoon Valley Road, they can expect a similar experience when visiting the downtown State College outpost, just on a smaller scale. Fresh produce, Coopey said, is a large part of the Way Fruit Farm brand and so that primary focus will still be key at the downtown location.

“We are, first and foremost, a place that loves producing and a farm,” he said. “You’re still going to have our great produce there available for purchase. In addition, we have the cafe. We have the bakery. Then we have … all of our jarred goods, our salsas, our pickles. We have our crazy soda wall. It’s a lot of who we are, but just in a smaller format.”

As students and other downtown residents newly discover the Way Fruit Farm brand, Coopey also hopes that those students turn into alumni who frequent the market when they return to State College for Penn State game days and other events.

“My ultimate goal would be to become one of those entities that people come back for. In this town, with Penn State, alumni come back several times a year. Be it for Arts Fest. Be it for a football game. Be it for just a long weekend. Alumni come back, but they’re not going to come back for a Chipotle,” he said.

So far, Coopey said customer response has been positive and he’s already noticing repeat customers, which he said is “the hallmark that we’re doing something right.”

Even with the new location, though, activity hasn’t slowed down at the Way Fruit Farm homebase. Apple picking is in full swing and a multitude of fall events are planned, including History Weekend, Sept. 16-17, which is made possible in part by the Clearfield County Historical Society, which will be offering demonstrations during the event; an antique tractor show is also planned. A fall craft show is slated for Sept. 23-24, with vendors, live music and food trucks; a similar harvest craft festival is planned for Oct. 7-8, with the addition of pumpkin picking and wagon rides. The pumpkin patch at Way Fruit Farm opens in conjunction with a music festival taking place Sept 30-Oct. 1 and pumpkin carving demonstrations are scheduled for Oct. 14-15.

Coopey is also focused on growing A Way to Help, Way Fruit Farm’s recently founded nonprofit that aims to fill community needs both large and small that are sometimes overlooked by larger or government organizations. Since its inception, A Way to Help has funded medical, housing and transportation costs for community members, among fulfilling other needs.

To learn more about A Way to Help and upcoming Way Fruit Farm events, visit www.wayfruitfarm.com. The new Way Fruit Farm Downtown is located at 252 East Calder Way and is open Monday-Friday, 10 a.m.-7 p.m., and Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.