New Seasons Market

Retro may be the “look” these days, but here in Sellwood, it comes naturally. This little Southeast Portland neighborhood has charm around every corner. Perhaps you’re looking at original vintage barware in one of the many antique shops, or you’re in the old cinema watching the one feature film of the week.

If shopping and movies isn’t your bag, then maybe you’ll find yourself gravitating toward the river, and hanging out in the Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge. So where are you going to find your perfect picnic snacks? At your friendly neighborhood grocery store, of course!

At the corner of Southeast 13th Avenue and Tacoma Street is the second store in the New Seasons Market family. Opened in 2000, we continued the tradition of having a neighborhood grocery store in this location. You can even see some of that history when visiting the store. In true Sellwood antique-tradition, a vintage restored “Piggly Wiggly” sign up in the rafters reminds you of the grocery store that was there way back in the 1970s.

One long-time manager remembers the day when we first made friends with the Sellwood neighborhood. With just one other New Seasons Market in existence at the time, he was excited to share our fun and easy shopping environment with the folks in a new part of town.

New Seasons Market and Sellwood hold hands pretty tightly when it comes to supporting each other.

We remember the time when we donated two cases of carrots to the town’s Easter celebration, and the Easter Bunny himself picked them up!

With just 14,000 square feet at Sellwood (compared to the 28,000 out in the Concordia store) each and every product is given extra special consideration before it gets some of our coveted shelf space. Priority is given to items requested on the bright green customer comment cards located throughout the store.

“I really feel like the Sellwood community said ‘hey, this is what we want you to carry, and this is what we’re going to buy’ so we’ve really fit this store to the wants and needs of the community,” one staff member says.

With space being such a hot commodity around the store, something fun begins to happen… people get to know each other. Employees are friends with customers, customers are friends with employees. What can we say? Friends happen.

So, stop by, pick up a fresh loaf of organic garlic Romano bread, a bottle of syrah, and introduce yourself to the friendly guy in Produce… if, of course, you don’t know each other already.