Westerly — When Cheryl and Tony Spino opened Dunns Corner Market with 9 to 12 employees — mostly family members — in 1989, they didn't envision it would grow to more than 40 employees and be the food provider it is today.

The Spinos met while working at the former Chickadee Farms across the street and have been married 40 years. Their kids, both in their 30s, have grown up inside Dunns Corner Market.

Tony and Cheryl said that when Walmart arrived opposite Dunns Corner 15 or so years ago, Walmart higher-ups and members of the community told the Spinos the Dunns Corner Market would never survive, but here it is.

Cheryl said there was a "tremendous impact" from the Stop & Shop strike last month and the market saw a lot of new faces, customers they hope to retain.

The Spinos were so pleased with how their 25th anniversary celebration turned out, they decided to hold another one marking 30 years in business.

On Saturday, the store will have tastings from vendors like Gifford's ice cream, Hummel Bros hot dogs, Narragansett Creamery cheese and Del's Lemonade, along with raffle prizes and a live broadcast from WBLQ.

A sale, which takes place Friday through Sunday, will involve prices that all end in 30. Part of the proceeds will go toward the Special Olympics. This reflects the Spinos' larger philanthropy over the years, donating to summertime lunch programs for kids, scholarship funds and cancer organizations.

Since its last anniversary celebration, Dunns Corner Market completed a renovation to allow for more organic produce, perishable items and "heat-and-eat" meals.

Rotating options for the meals, which are typically under $10 per person, include comfort food like roast beef, stuffed cabbage, lasagna, fried chicken and stir-fry. Though there's one thing the Spinos say customers can rely on to never change: There will be meatloaf on Mondays and mac 'n' cheese on Tuesdays.

Tony said a lot of the elderly folks in the community appreciate the ability to get hot, prepared meals instead of "buying a ton of ingredients to make a whole meal," and that Dunns was probably one of the first to offer these options many years ago.

The May 2017 remodel also included putting in cases that reduce electricity, adding LED lighting and reducing soda from an entire aisle to a small place in the beverage section. In the sodas' stead, the Spinos put cheeses, hummus and hot dogs, to reflect customer demand.

They've also seen greater customer demand in recent years for salads, organic products, grass-fed beef, gluten-free options, almond milk and baked goods. Salad options include edamame, wheatberry, and farro and artichoke, while soup offerings might be loaded baked potato or roasted garlic chicken and artichoke. There's rotisserie chicken every day, and the rice pudding is popular.

The market's growth from 28 employees five years ago to more than 40 now largely has been in the kitchen and the meat department.

Dunns Corner carries basic nonperishable grocery offerings — including an impressive selection of Polar Seltzer flavors.

"We always try to stay on the curve, because we go to food shows, and we talk to other vendors in our network," Tony said.

One thing the market has finally hopped on, just this year? Facebook. The Spinos have found it's a good way to advertise their sales and meal specials.

Looking ahead, Tony said, "We still got a few years left in us."

e.moser@theday.com