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A European style market with high quality seafood, meat, produce, dry goods, deli and fresh flowers has opened in a two-story brick building that housed a laundromat for 24 years.

The Market at Washington and High quickly informs people where it is located: at the intersection of Washington and High streets in Maryville.

The market consists of five separate businesses -- ciao deli, Blue Moon Fish Co., Laurel Creek Farm, Market Fresh Produce and Oak Park Grocery and Dry Goods,

The idea is that each business will provide on-site experts in their field for customers.

The different businesses operate in separate sections of the structure, which is owned by Butch Clark. He and Don Mizell co-own the Market.

Before they entered the joint venture, Mizell said Clark told him he would like to operate a market. Mizell told him he had a idea for a market different from anything in Blount County.

Mizell and Clark hired Mike Adams to run Blue Moon Fish Co. The seafood goes directly from the fishing boats to the coooler and is then sent directly to the store.

Jumbo white U-10 dry scallops, crabs, oysters, shrimp, prawns and fresh fish fill the seafood counter. All types of fish from wild Atlantic salmon to flounder are available, as is farm-raised catfish, rainbow trout and tilapia.

Adams is an Oak Ridge native who attended the University of Tennessee. He became interested in seafood when he lived in Boston and Maine.

Spencer Rouse is the manager of Laurel Creek Farms of Sunbright.

"We have a little bit of everything," Rouse said. "We have about every kind of meat you want. We either grew it or can get exotic meats for customers. The exotics include such meats as antelope, buffalo, alligator, squab and poussin.

Prime cuts of meat fill the display case. They also sell fresh brown eggs.

Owner of ciao deli is Maryville native Todd White, who has had a variety of careers. He has practiced veterinary medicine, architecture and teaches anatomy and physiology at Pellissippi State Technical Community College.

White said Mizell is his good friend and he supported Mizell in developing the business. He designed the building to restore it to its original look.

White designed ciao deli and when they couldn't find a person they wanted to run the deli, White decided to do it.

"Our speciality is homemade Southern and gourmet food. We sell international deli meats and cheeses you can't find anywhere else. We also sell international beer," White said.

He has traveled in Europe, particularly Italy and Spain, and liked the concept of the Market. The deli uses all fresh ingredients and quality meats and cheeses, he said.

Dean Connatser is currently using "the Cadillac of smoker cookers" that he borrowed from a friend to cook the meat. Eventually he intends to buy a smoker cooker. The borrowed one sits in front of the Market.

Connatser cooks pork shoulder and smoked chicken. On Fridays and Saturdays he will add ribs and other meats to the menu.

Vicki and John Hinkle own Oak Park Grocery and Dry Goods. They sell everything from candy to special mixed vegetables. In their area customers can find hot spicy pickles, spices, rubs, nuts, sauces, party mixes, fancy specialty foods and gourds.

Robbie Quilty has an area where she sells cut flowers by the stem. "We'll start out that way and see how well it does. We will take input from customers to see whether they want such things as bouquets," she said.

Clark said, "My hopes are to remain in business many years and provide a lot of good food for many people."

The Market is open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and closed Sunday.