Mary Miklosovic takes over Irene Dever Dairy at Cleveland's West Side Market

EntertainmentMary Miklosovic worked at the West Side Market for years. She recently purchased Irene Dever Dairy.Paris WolfeCLEVELAND, Ohio — Mary Miklosovic started working at the West Side Market when she was 16 years old. She stayed throughout high school and college, working for D.W. Whitaker, a longtime meat stand. Her brother and sister still work there.After graduating from college with a degree in exercise science, Miklosovic settled into what she calls a “big girl job.” Still, she looked forward to Saturdays at the market.“I always looked forward to Saturdays when I would go work at the market,” she said. “It’s hard to compare it to any other workplace. The sense of community and family. I kind of grew up there.”Eventually the market won her back.Miklosovic recently bought the Irene Dever Dairy stand in the northeast corner of the market hall, taking over a 50-plus year-old business.“I’m excited to continue the legacy,” she said about the business.Irene Dever Dairy at the West Side Market has a new owner.Paris WolfeIrene Dever started the dairy business in 1972. Her daughter, Diane Dever, began working at the stand when she was about 6 years old and eventually took over the business.Diane recently retired and Miklosovic took over.“Diane and I always talked about me buying it,” she said. “Finally, the timing was right. She offered it to me and I took it.”The transition was not sudden. For about a year before the purchase, she worked at the stand every other weekend, learning the business and getting to know its customers.Cheese and yogurt were a different world from the chicken and steak she sold at D.W. Whitaker. The transition also gave customers a chance to get used to seeing a new face behind the counter.Irene Dever Dairy carries a variety of cheeses, specialty salads and dips as well as handmade pierogi.Paris WolfeThe stand carries a broad selection of dairy and specialty foods.Among the offerings are a variety of cheeses, from basic American to smoked gouda and smoked cheddar, along with yogurt, butter, milk, salad dressings, pasta salads and dips.The butter is made from 100% cream and arrives in 55-pound blocks. The milk comes from Hartzler Family Dairy.Perhaps the biggest attraction is the pierogi.They are handmade for the stand by a local group of women who make sweet cheese, sauerkraut, potato and potato-and-cheese. The potato-and-cheese is the most popular.“I’m Polish, so the pierogis are always a top item for me,” she said.There also are jams and jellies, along with a selection of salads and dips, including a pesto sundried tomato salad.Her own favorite depends on what she is looking for.The Greek yogurt is particularly good, she said. And she has developed an appreciation for the butter.“I enjoy our butter, real butter, just cream,” she said. “The flavor is better.”For her, though, the most important part of owning the stand isn’t any individual product.It’s preserving a piece of the West Side Market.The market’s community and family atmosphere helped shape her, and she wants to preserve that for the next generation.“My goal is to continue the legacy that’s been built,” she said. “My goal is to keep things the same. I may add or expand off of what’s already there, but to continue the legacy.”Paris Wolfe is a dining and culture reporter for Cleveland.com | The Plain Dealer with a special focus in the region’s dining, spirits, and food scene. In addition to 30 years of writing experience, she has...