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Upstairs in the kitchen at Old Farm Fine Foods on Barrie Street, the staff banter usually centres on two favourite topics: food and films. That suits employee Jeff Williams, who studied film at Sheridan College in Oakville several years ago.

“We just have a gas,” says Mr. Williams, 29, who’s worked at Old Farm – a campus favourite for lunch and groceries – for four years. “Great people, great customers. I feel fulfilled, doing a job I really enjoy and still being able to pursue other things on the side.”

After graduating from Sheridan, Mr. Williams worked in restaurants in Toronto while navigating the competitive film world. He ended up staying in the food business, working in Ottawa as well, before making his way back to Kingston, his hometown.

“Everyone knows good food here, and Nancy (George), with her culinary background, knows a ton. I’m learning a lot,” says Mr. Williams, who has also worked at the restaurant Chez Piggy, as well as 10 years part-time at Classic Video.

Ms. George, a trained chef who ran her own restaurant in British Columbia for seven years, owns Old Farm, along with her husband, Steve France. The store’s name stems from their farm north of Kingston, where they produce hundreds of varieties of heirloom tomatoes, as well as herbs and other vegetables, all as seedlings in the spring.

Old Farm brings in food from dozens of local food suppliers and with Ms. George’s expertise in the kitchen, they feed the surrounding community: students, staff, faculty, and local residents. The store also serves as a pantry service for Ms. George’s catering business.

On weekdays, especially at lunchtime, Old Farm quickly fills up, its small space jammed with regulars ladling soup and ordering grilled sandwiches or slices of pizza, all made in-store. In the warmer months, customers linger on the modest patio and take in the Barrie Street view.

“We are in a really good spot here, on campus and in Sydenham Ward. It’s a great community,” says Mr. France, adding that 95 per cent of the store’s traffic arrives on foot. Open for the past six years, Old Farm sells, on top of lunch fare of sandwiches, soups, pizza, salads and desserts (local ice cream!), an array of local and organic products, including milk, cheese, meat, vegetables and dried goods.

“We have a good crop of regulars – the tech guys from Queen’s come in every morning for coffee,” says Mr. Williams, who plans to make films – comedies – in his spare time, along with promotional videos for Old Farm. “And everyone’s doing cool stuff – for example, I get to hear and see pictures about rocket conventions in Utah – it’s a lot of fun.”

Old Farm Fine Foods, 204 Barrie St., is open seven days a week: Monday-Friday 8:30 am-6:30 pm, and Saturday-Sunday 10 am- 5 pm.