For more than 15 years, Neena’s Market has been a quiet constant in Coalville, a family-run grocery and kitchen that has grown alongside the town and shaped by a steady commitment to community.
Jose Ponce manages the market, and day to day his parents, Lupe and Cande, run it with help from siblings. Since opening in 2011, the family has made a point of keeping the store accessible and welcoming, offering a mix of Hispanic and American products and staying open later than many businesses in town.
“When other shops close at 6, we’re open until about 9,” said Jose. “We want to be there for people when they need something.”
Jose’s parents moved to Coalville after visiting family in the area, drawn to the town’s small size and pace of life. It reminded them of the rural communities where they grew up in Michoacán, Mexico — places where everyone knew one another and daily life revolved around family and work.
When they first acquired the building that would become Neena’s Market, it was far from ready. The space had previously housed a drugstore and an old movie theater and had been left abandoned. Lupe said the family spent nearly a year repairing and remodeling the building themselves before they could open the doors.
“At the beginning, it was a lot,” she said. “We had to tear everything out. Then the permits came, and the city would say, ‘This is missing, that is missing.’ But little by little, with a lot of effort and sacrifice, we kept moving forward.”
Over time, she said, the experience taught her patience.
“Now I understand what people mean when they say Rome wasn’t built in a day,” she said with a laugh.
Those early years also required earning trust in a small town where newcomers are often met with caution. Jose said it took time for relationships to form, but consistency mattered.
“People start to realize you’re here every day,” he said. “They see that you’re consistent, that you’re not here to cause problems. That’s when you become part of the community.”
Support from the broader Coalville community proved essential to the market’s survival over the years. While many regular customers are longtime local residents, Jose said the market also draws people from outside the area, including Evanston and Salt Lake City, as well as visitors who often return whenever they’re back in the area.
Inside the store, a sense of connection often unfolds through conversation and food. Jose’s mother, who does all the cooking, regularly talks with customers about recipes and techniques. Locals stop in asking how to use tortilla presses they’ve purchased at the store or how to improve homemade tortillas.
Almost everything served in the kitchen is made from scratch. Beans are cooked in-house. Jalapeños are pickled on site. Tortilla chips are fried fresh. Salsas and guacamole are prepared daily, all adding the personal touch of a home cooked meal.
The menu includes tacos, tortas, quesadillas, nachos and burritos, including a popular chile verde smothered burrito, as well as staples like their caldo de res and menudo that Lupe said have earned consistent praise from customers.
Lupe said the kitchen is known for generous portions, often large enough to be shared or saved for another meal.
“The people here in Coalville call these the ‘super nachos,’” she said as she prepared the plate, “because from this, two or three people can eat.”
All meat that is used in their dishes are sourced locally from Bonneville Meats in Ogden, reflecting the family’s emphasis on freshness and quality.
“That’s something people really come in for,” Jose said, referring to the house-made salsas and prepared foods. “We try to do everything fresh. Nothing out of cans or jars if we can avoid it.”
What sets Neena’s Market apart, Jose said, is the fact that the family is always present.
“Any day someone comes in, there’s going to be someone from my family here,” he said. “That’s the difference between just a store and a place you can rely on.”
He said their goal is to be present for the town, offering help where they can and providing quality products.
Jose’s mother credits the community for sustaining the business through its early challenges and steady growth.
“Almost all of my customers have been with us since the beginning,” she said. “To everyone who has supported us from the start, thank you very much.”
That support, she said, comes with a responsibility to honor the trust customers have placed in the family.
After more than a decade and a half in operation, Neena’s Market has become a regular part of daily life in Coalville, serving residents through consistent hours, family involvement and long-term relationships with customers.
“Every day, you want to give the best of yourself,” Lupe said. “We do our best not to let people down.”
Neena’s Market is located at 47 S Main St. in Coalville, and restaurant orders can be made in advance at (435) 336-4233.