In Italian, the word “bottega” traditionally refers to a place where artisans both make and sell their craft. It’s a fitting label for Bottega Bernard & the Sicilian Merchant, the cozy new Catskill grocery store that combines a thoughtfully curated selection of food—including premium pantry staples, small-batch prepared foods, and specialty Sicilian imports—with handmade goods.
The shop is the shared vision of Rebecca Bernard, a native New Yorker with a background in food and beverage sales, and her partner, Salvatore Pluchino, a Sicilian-born food entrepreneur and founder of the artisanal brand Seligo. “In the store’s name, Bottega represents the things we make, like soaps, candles, and dried flowers, while Sicilian Merchant reflects Salvo’s passion for sourcing beautiful artisanal products from his homeland,” Bernard explains.
Pluchino first came to the US a decade ago to complete a master’s degree in aerospace engineering at UC Berkeley, but a lifelong dream of living in New York City soon pulled him east. Once he arrived, his career trajectory changed. “I completely forgot about pursuing a career in engineering,” he says. “I immediately felt the need to remain connected to Sicily, to my homeland, to my roots. I followed a natural call to share everything about the food and agriculture of Sicily.”
He launched Seligo—a Latin word meaning “to select”—to do just that. The brand focuses on unrefined Sicilian products: cold-pressed olive oil, ancient-grain pasta, traditional Modica chocolate, and more. Pluchino personally visited producers throughout Sicily to learn how their food is made and to preserve knowledge of traditional techniques. “I realized I didn’t know enough about my homeland,” he says, “so I went on a journey to meet as many producers as possible.”
Bernard, meanwhile, had worked in food and beverage for 15 years, running a sales agency for emerging brands. She also has a longstanding love for cooking, dinner parties, and the aesthetics of the table, including antique plates, handmade candles, and flower arrangements. “I’ve always had an affinity for table settings and collecting dishes,” she says.
The idea for a storefront started informally, as the couple hosted dinners and shared an interest in ingredients and presentation. Bernard had begun making dried flower arrangements and soaps, while Pluchino focused on building Seligo. Over time, the pair started seriously discussing a space that could present their shared interests together.They opened the shop on May 2 at 408 Main Street in Catskill. The space—warm, relaxed, and filled with antiques—is designed to feel like a neighborhood gathering spot. “We wanted people to feel really welcome when they walk in,” Bernard says. “And like they can ask us what to make for dinner and we’ll give them an idea.”
The store offers a combination of imported and local goods. Most products follow the couple’s shared philosophy of sourcing “unrefined” food—as minimally processed as possible and nutrient-dense.
From Sicily, there’s extra virgin olive oil, sauce made from cherry tomatoes, and pasta milled from ancient wheat varieties with a lower-gluten structure. There’s also Modica chocolate from Pluchino’s hometown. “We don’t have cacao beans in Sicily, of course,” Pluchino explains. “During the Spanish domination, cacao beans were brought from South America, and we preserved a way of making chocolate similar to the South American and Mexican traditions. We kept this tradition in my small hometown, and so for me, it’s a special treat—something related to my childhood and the place I come from.”
More locally, the couple works with various farms and makers. Fresh mozzarella comes from Main Street Market in Windham; bread is baked by Be Golden Farms and others; produce is sourced from Rolling Hill Farm and Stoneledge. The couple often drives around the region visiting producers, learning about their practices, and discovering new items to carry.
In addition to grocery items, visitors might find glassware, cloth napkins, full vintage table settings curated by Bernard, as well as the soaps, candles, and dried flower arrangements she makes by hand. The shop also offers simple meal kits, inspired by Bernard’s past experience helping customers.
“I worked as a cheesemonger about 20 years ago at an amazing little French market,” Bernard recalls. “People would ask me how to pair ingredients, so I’d create dinner menus on the fly, and they’d return to tell me how much their guests loved the dishes. If you have just a little bit of arugula left over and some Parmesan, for example, you can easily make a beautiful pesto, toss it with fresh beans, and have a simple, beautiful, and affordable dish.”
Ultimately, for the owners, Bottega Bernard & The Sicilian Merchant is about hospitality. “Our goal is to get people to come in when they don’t know what to make and pick our brain,” Bernard says. “We love talking about what’s in season, what local cheeses or ingredients we have, and how to pair it all together—whether someone wants something simple or more complex, we’d love to help them create a recipe.”
Pluchino agrees: “We love the interaction with people. We want everyone to feel like they can talk to us the moment they walk in and leave inspired to cook something simple and delicious.”
Bottega Bernard & the Sicilian Merchant is located at 408 Main Street in Catskill, NY. The store is open Monday, Tuesday, and Friday through Sunday, from 11am to 6pm.
