AMHERST — From their own journeys in Europe and across New England and the Northeast, and their experience in the hospitality industry, a Northampton couple is creating a market featuring wines, pantry staples and fresh local produce in downtown Amherst.

“At the base level, this is a beer and wine store that is truly unique, an extremely curated and very European-inspired market that strips down to what the community needs,” Bill Nurse says of Aster + Pine Market, which he and wife, Mallory Nurse, opened in February at 189 North Pleasant St.

Many of the items in the store have special meaning to the couple, like the maple syrup from Foxglove Farm and Forest in Vermont, where they stayed in the midst of the pandemic; and the wines they drank while in Italy, along with a number of other Italian imports, including artichokes, pickled olives and vegetable oil, handmade pasta, truffle oil butter and taralli pugliesi, a sort of Italian bagel.

“It’s nice to showcase stuff we’ve enjoyed on our travels,” Mallory Nurse said. “We can bring in stuff that’s broader and unique, and we get to share our favorite things with everybody.”

Their offerings include vegetables from area farms and even neighboring businesses. Among their wares are granola from The Humble Peach, the small bakery across North Pleasant; and others not too far away, like bread from Small Oven Bakery in Easthampton, available Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, and from Ground Up Grain in Holyoke.

“The theme is we believe in the products we sell — all minimally produced,” Mallory Nurse said.

The couple met in Boston where Bill was a chef was 10 years, and Mallory was doing design at the restaurant where Bill worked. They relocated to the Valley after having familiarity from visits to Mallory’s sister in South Hadley.

Aster + Pine Market is located in space long used by Vici Hair Studio & Beauty Bar before that business moved to Hatfield. The block of businesses includes The Toy Box and Zanna as anchors, though the neighboring business Botanica recently closed. Their proximity to the mixed-use developments at the north end of downtown, and free customer parking in the rear, were perks of the location.

Inside, decorative lighting has been added, along with crates to hold the wines, as well as onions and potatoes at the entrance and some wallpaper to offer a vintage feel, which carries over to the general store case and the wooden stand built by Kyle Passan.

Mallory said she sees Aster + Pine as “very much information-driven,” with each wine having narratives and wine-tasting notes about foods to pair with.

“We’d like to have it more of an interactive experience,” Mallory said. “That makes it more fun for us and for them.”

This is particularly true about the wines, which Bill enjoys discussing with customers, including a recent one who was just turning 21.

“We will direct them to their preference and for what will fit the bill for them,” Bill said. “It’s all about the story and interaction with guests and bringing hospitality back to the market form.”

Aster + Pine is open daily except Sundays, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with sip-and-shop on Saturday afternoons. More information is at aster_pinemarket on Instagram.