Tucked along State Route 415 just outside of Bath, New York, something special is quietly growing.
The Tailgate Market is more than simply a roadside stop. It feels a bit like stepping into the kind of old-fashioned community gathering place that small towns once thrived on — where local vendors know your name, conversations happen naturally between aisles, and you never quite know what treasure you might discover next.
And perhaps that is part of its charm.
When Cody Smalt’s father, Jeff, passed away last fall, Cody became the next generation of a dream. A dream planted years ago when father and son sold blueberries from the tailgate of a truck.
In fact, it was those memories of “tailgating” with blueberries that eventually inspired the market’s name.
Sometimes the biggest things begin in the humblest ways.
Alongside Shannon King, Cody’s partner in life, they picked up where Jeff left off — and from there, something almost magical has been happening.
Today, The Tailgate Market has grown into a vibrant gathering place featuring approximately 30 local vendors offering an eclectic mix of handcrafted goods, specialty foods, antiques, and unique finds. One booth may feature handmade jewelry and beadwork while another showcases clay creations, antiques, hydro flasks, Stanleys, fresh meats, locally loved Yum Yum spices, or warm fresh donuts still carrying that irresistible bakery scent through the building.
It is the kind of place where no two visits feel exactly the same.
Some shoppers come looking for gifts.
Some stop for the food.
Some simply enjoy wandering.
And honestly, there is something refreshing about places like this still existing.
In a world increasingly dominated by big box stores and online shopping carts, markets like The Tailgate remind us that small businesses and local makers still matter. The conversations feel slower. The atmosphere feels friendlier. And the experience feels personal in a way that chain stores simply cannot replicate.
That sense of community and commitment has not gone unnoticed.
Recently, The Tailgate Market was formally recognized during its Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting Ceremony with a presentation from Congressman Nicholas A. Langworthy of New York’s 23rd Congressional District.
The recognition praised The Tailgate for its “commitment to serving the local community” and acknowledged the market as “a vibrant gathering space that celebrates and supports local businesses.” It also highlighted the market’s dedication to offering “quality produce, meats, and unique local goods” while recognizing the positive impact it is already making throughout the region.
For a business that began with memories of blueberries sold from the tailgate of a truck, the moment feels both meaningful and deeply fitting.
Not because of politics or ceremony.
But because it reflects something much deeper:
small-town dreams still matter.
Now, as Memorial Day Weekend approaches, The Tailgate Market is preparing to kick off summer in true small-town Finger Lakes fashion.
Kick Off Memorial Weekend at The Tailgate Market!
The market is teaming up with Ray’s Food Truck for what promises to be a deliciously all-American holiday weekend feast.
And yes…
they are bringing out the corn roast.
🔥 Fresh roasted corn on the cob hot off the grill
🍢 Delicious kabobs
🥔 Classic salt potatoes
Your taste buds may very well start screaming “America!”
📅 Friday, May 22
⏰ Food begins at Noon and continues until sold out!
All ingredients will also be available for purchase right at the market.
It is easy to picture already:
Families stopping in before heading to the lake.
Neighbors catching up after a long winter.
Travelers discovering one of those hidden local gems you only find by taking the slower roads.
A Keuka Roots Reflection
There is something deeply beautiful about watching dreams continue through generations.
Not every legacy arrives with headlines, wealth, or grand buildings. Sometimes a legacy begins with a father and son standing beside the tailgate of a truck selling blueberries along a roadside in upstate New York.
And somehow…those are often the stories that matter most.
The ones built quietly.
Steadily.
With hard work, grief, hope, family, and faith that something planted today may continue growing tomorrow.
Places like The Tailgate Market remind us that small towns are still stitched together by ordinary people willing to keep showing up for one another. Around the Finger Lakes, dreams are often passed hand to hand — from parents to children, from one generation to the next — carried forward not through perfection, but through perseverance.
And maybe that is the real magic happening here.
Not simply a market.
But the continuation of a story.
Stay Rooted. Stay Keuka.
Visit The Tailgate Market
7499 State Route 415
Bath, NY 14810
Visit them on Facebook:
The Tailgate Market Facebook Page
Hours
• Monday — CLOSED
• Tuesday — 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
• Wednesday — 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
• Thursday — 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
• Friday — 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
• Saturday — 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM
• Sunday — 1:00 PM – 6:00 PM
