Craig Alley, who is also the produce director at Leon’s, grills delicious meals for the grocer’s weekly Sizzling Saturday Cookouts each summer.
Bite into a marinated steak kabob made from the Butcher Block savory meats at Leon’s Gourmet Grocer.
Take a sip of fresh-squeezed lemonade blended from juicy citrus.
Nibble on yogurt-dipped pretzels in pastel colors of spring and in flavors of raspberry, lemon and lime.
“Spring will be breaking loose right inside of Leon’s,” says Chad Winters, co-owner of the grocery store.
In honor of the grocer’s 91st anniversary and part of the annual two-week celebration, Leon’s is holding its traditional Samplefest from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. today, April 20 – with more than 15 booths set up around the store.
“There will be wall-to-wall people. It always feels energetic and alive on that day,” Winters says.
The annual Samplefest is a combination of traditional crowd-pleasers, signature items familiar to Leon’s shoppers, as well as brand new and unique specialty products and items.
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That means Samplefest also will serve up innovative dishes such as Fermented Felon Kombucha from Council Bluffs. Or, Truffle Kettle Chips from The Saucy Ladies in New York City, “for truffle lovers, crisp and delicious old-fashioned kettle chips with white truffles and sea salt.”
Or, sample Heavenly Waffles, a fluffy breakfast recipe stirred up with a lighter waffle mix made from Greek yogurt – and offered in six flavors that include banana, espresso and blueberry.
Winters remembers when he worked as a young clerk for the Lincoln grocer back in the 1990s, and how he loved the occasional food sample days.
“Those events were so much fun,” he says. “So, one of the first marketing things I changed was making Samplefest a regular, annual event.”
Winters adds, “I think what’s exciting about Leon’s is that the mission statement from Leon himself all those years ago still holds true today: It’s all about customer service and high-quality perishables.”
And yet, he continues, Leon’s also persists in changing with the times, keeping up with modern and cutting-edge trends – this year among the top winners in the 2024 Best of Lincoln honors.
After Samplefest, of course, the anniversary celebration moves right into the beginning of summer grill-out season and Leon’s Sizzling Saturday Cookouts, 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. weekly, featuring seasoned gourmet burgers, homemade brats, marinated steak bobs and more.
But this year, the store is planning even bigger, Winters says. Currently Leon’s is remodeling some of the outdoor area with complete patio furnishings and, later this summer, will open a full patio to host weekly Friday afternoon and evening tasting events – highlighted by food, entertainment and adult beverages.
“You look around and see the bigger stores, everywhere, and we are so thankful for the customers we have who have kept us in business,” Winters says. “We will never take that for granted.”
He notes that many people hate grocery shopping, but not at Leon’s. “We are a feel-good kind of store where you can find your favorites, right along with the newest products … We are proud and honored to serve our community.”
