A group of grocery and specialty food veterans have joined forces to bring a new kind of grocery experience to the heart of Bellevue. With the November 11, 2011 opening of Your Local Market™, Eastside shoppers will gain the benefit of decades of retail grocery experience. The result is a new kind of grocery store experience where shoppers can make one trip to fill out their list, and get their needs filled faster and more conveniently. The new market will revive the former grocery location at 410 Bellevue Way NE, right in the center of the downtown shopping district.
The new concept is the brainchild of a veteran team of retail and grocery store professionals with a track record of industry innovation. Washington-based Concept Development Group, headed up by Washington resident Jason Brown, brings together industry veterans from Larry’s Markets, Organic to Go, Whole Foods, Noah’s Bagels QFC and Mistral Kitchen.
“We’ve spent the past 15 years developing customer-driven natural product bricks and mortar retail stores as well as consumer websites and saw a great opportunity to bring everything we’ve learned about what customers want in a grocery store to our hometown,” said Brown, the founder and CEO of Your Local Market.
Your Local Market also makes online ordering possible for grocery or delivery within three miles as well as convenient curbside pickup right out front.
“Place your order, and then give us a call when you’re out front and we will deliver your groceries into the trunk of your car, saving time and money,” said Brown. “We are your neighborhood partner and we want to make it easy for anyone to shop—whether it is a mom, a dad, a senior citizen a High School student or an executive working in the towers that now surround Bellevue who wants to conveniently get their shopping done without having to go into the market.”
Before opening Your Local Market, Brown’s 34-year career in specialty retail included the founding of Organic to Go, the nation’s first fast casual retailer to be certified organic by Quality Assurance International. In 2008, Brown was honored as a finalist for Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst and Young. Over the past year he was the head of a team of consultants that created Right to Nature Hometown Market, a crossover grocery in Pittsburgh, Penn.
He is joined by Michael Johnson, Chief Food Officer for Your Local Market. Johnson brings more than 20 years in retail food service operations, including senior and operational roles at Right by Nature Market, Organic to Go and Briazz.
Paul Wilcox, the store manager for Your Local Market in Bellevue, has more than 25 years of experience in the grocery retail industry, including four years as store director for Matthew’s Thriftway in Bellevue. He was the co-director of Larry’s Markets in Kirkland from 1999 to 2006, and had a 14-year tenure at Safeway in Bellevue.
Bakery Manager Adrian Ballow has been a pastry cook and chef at Mistral Kitchen, Café Presse, Dahlia Lounge and at Sodexho. Her background includes studies at the Boulangerie de L’Ile Barbe, and a Certificate of Professional Aptitute in Pastry, Chocolate, Ice Cream and Confectionary from Lycee Rabelais in Dardilly, France in 2007.
Produce and Floral Manager Gail Schollmeyer has more than 30 years of grocery retail experience at QFC/Kroger. Her expertise encompasses total store operations, remodel planning and merchandising, to name a few. She has been a leader in customer service for QFC/Kroger.
Seafood Manager Travis Lewis has a track record that includes years with Larry’s Market in Bellevue, but also such establishments as McCormick and Schmick’s Seafood Restaurant, Jack’s Fish Spot at the Pike Place Market and Whole Foods Market.
Wine Manager Ken Weiland brings more than three decades of grocery and natural foods retailing with him. At Larry’s Market, he served as the Sales Direcotr, wine and Buyer for Natural and Specialty Foods, to name a couple of his titles. He has served as Program and Conference Chairman and Director for the Society of Wine Educators.
Your Local Market Set to Add 100+ New Employees in Next 30 Days
The team is expanding. Your Local Market is now actively hiring more than 100 people for positions throughout the store. Your Local Market will be hosting a job fair on site at its headquarters location in an adjacent building next to the store on Oct. 12. Interested applicants can find information on the company website www.yourlocalmarket.com or email to apply@yourlocalmarket.com.
Halloween Carnival to Benefit Camp Korey Planned for October 30-31, 2011
Put it on the calendar: Your Local Market is a proud partner in the community. On Sunday, October 30 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and on Monday, October 31 from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., Your Local Market is hosting a Halloween Carnival benefitting Camp Korey. The Halloween Carnival will feature free pumpkins, face painting, pony rides, balloon animals, carnival games with prizes, a bouncy house and bungee trampoline, and interactive arts and crafts. Camp Korey is a recreational camp for kids with serious medical or life-threatening diseases, that allows kids to just have fun, while supporting their medical needs. The event is free and open to the public. It will be held in the Your Local Market’s parking lot located at 410 Bellevue Way NE, Bellevue, WA 98004.
About Your Local Market:
Your Local Market is a new concept in grocery stores. The mix of products at Your Local Market is 80 percent local, organic and natural, and 20 percent mainstream brands customers trust. Customers will not need to visit more than one store. Your Local Market offers innovative customer service options, including the curbside grocery service, which allows customers to call ahead with grocery orders and have their groceries delivered to them curbside at the store, or delivered. Your Local Market is the brainchild of a team of grocery and specialty food industry veterans based in Bellevue, Washington. Find us online at www.YourLocalMarket.com, at @YourLoclMarket (Twitter) and at Facebook.com/YLMBellevue.