Nugget Markets is a family-owned upscale supermarket chain operating within the greater Sacramento metropolitan area as well as in Marin and Sonoma Counties. It is headquartered in Davis, California. As of October 2019, the company operates twelve of its flagship Nugget Markets-brand stores, as well as Sonoma Market in Sonoma, Fork Lift by Nugget Markets in Cameron Park and Food 4 Less in Woodland.
![]() | |
![]() Nugget Markets on East Covell Blvd. in Davis, California | |
Company type | Private |
---|---|
Industry | Retail (Grocery) |
Founded | 1926Woodland, California, U.S. | in
Founder |
|
Headquarters | , U.S. |
Number of locations | 16[1] (As of May, 2021) |
Area served | California |
Key people |
|
Products | Bakery, dairy, delicatessen, frozen foods, grocery, meat, produce, seafood, snacks, prepared foods |
Services | Catering, Restaurants |
Revenue | ![]() |
Owner | (Stille Family (100%)) |
Number of employees | 2,000 (2019) |
Website | www |
History
In 1926, Nugget Markets opened its first store in Woodland, California by the father-and-son team of William and Mack Stille. Mack Stille ran most of the day-to-day operations and introduced many unconventional policies to the store, such as incorporating meat departments, installing refrigerated produce cases and employing checkout stands equipped with power belts.[2]
In the late 1970s, under the leadership of Mack's son, Gene, and grandson, Eric, the company began its expansion outside the local Woodland community by opening a Nugget Markets store in neighboring Davis. In 1984, Nugget Markets acquired a pair of Sacramento Alpha Beta grocery stores and converted them into Nugget Markets, one in the Greenhaven-Pocket neighborhood, the other in Foothill Farms on Hillsdale Blvd. In the early 90s, Nugget Markets opened its first Food 4 Less franchise in Vallejo, California. In the late 1990s, Nugget Markets developed their Fresh to Market concept, pairing European-style open-air marketing with higher-end products and specialty departments, such as their Cheese Specialists, Wine Stewards, Pastry Chefs in a full-range Bakery, Full-Service Kitchen, Healthy Living Department, dedicated Seafood butcher and a Juice & Espresso Bar.[3]
In 2006, Nugget Markets leased / bought 8 former Ralph's stores in and around Sacramento.[4]
In 2015, Nugget Markets acquired Paradise Foods with locations in Novato, Corte Madera and Tiburon.[5] Also in 2015, Nugget Markets debuted its new “Fork Lift” market concept which was a hybrid of its Nugget and Food4Less Brands within the same store.[6]
In 2016, Nugget Markets acquired Sonoma Market and Glen Ellen Village Market, both located in Sonoma County, California.[7]
In 2019, Nugget Markets patriarch Gene Stille died.[8]
In 2020, Nugget Markets moved its corporate headquarters from Woodland, California to Davis, California.[9]
In 2020, Nugget Markets was ranked #79 on Fortune's list of "100 Best Companies to Work For," its 15th year on the list.[10]
Branding
Unique to Nugget Markets is their architectural feature at the entrance of new stores, which include a tower and/or a robed woman with a basket of food above her head. The robed woman, in particular, became the corporate logo and mascot of the company.[11]
Locations
Active Nugget Markets stores
- Downtown Woodland – 157 Main St., Woodland, California
- El Macero – 409 Mace Blvd., Davis, California
- Lake Crest – 1040 Florin Rd., Sacramento, California
- Southport – 2000 Town Center Plaza, West Sacramento, California
- Park Plaza – 771 Pleasant Grove Blvd., Roseville, California
- Browns Valley – 130 Browns Valley Pkwy., Vacaville, California
- Oak Tree – 1414 E. Covell Blvd., Davis, California
- El Dorado Hills – 4500 Post St., El Dorado Hills, California
- Elk Grove – 7101 Elk Grove Blvd., Elk Grove, California
- Blue Oaks – 1509 Blue Oaks Blvd., Roseville, California
- Tiburon – 1 Blackfield Drive, Tiburon, California
- Corte Madera - 5627 Paradise Drive, Corte Madera, California
- Novato - 470 Ignacio Blvd., Novato, California
Active Sonoma Market store
- 500 West Napa St., Sonoma, California
Active Fork Lift by Nugget Markets store
- 3333 Coach Ln., Cameron Park, California
Active Food 4 Less store
- 451 Pioneer Rd., Woodland, California
Defunct stores
- Riverside – 6419 Riverside Blvd., Sacramento, California
- Hillsdale – 5731 Hillsdale Blvd., Sacramento, California
Unfinished stores
References
- ^ "Nugget Markets Locations".
- ^ "History of Nugget Market in Californias". Retrieved 2020-07-03.
- ^ "Nugget Market Fact Sheet" (PDF). Retrieved 2020-07-03.
- ^ "Nugget Markets, Alamo Group Team Up to Acquire Eight Sacramento Ralphs". Retrieved 2020-07-03.
- ^ "Nugget Markets acquires Paradise Foods in Marin". 31 January 2015. Retrieved 2020-07-03.
- ^ "California's Nugget Markets Quietly Unveils New Store Concept". 14 January 2015. Retrieved 2020-07-03.
- ^ "Nugget Markets acquires Sonoma Market and Glen Ellen Village Market of Sonoma County". 26 February 2016. Retrieved 2020-07-03.
- ^ "Nugget Markets patriarch Gene Stille dies at 89, Northern California grocery chain says". Retrieved 2020-07-03.
- ^ "Business Journal: Nugget Moving Headquarters To Davis, More Businesses Interested In Oak Park, Downtown Macy's To Open Backstage". Retrieved 2020-07-03.
- ^ "How Nugget fared on Fortune's 'Best Companies to Work For' list this year". BizJournals.com. Retrieved 2020-07-03.
- ^ "37 – Nugget Market – California US". 3 October 2013. Retrieved 2020-07-03.
- ^ a b RASKIN-ZRIHEN, RACHEL. "Prospect of Wal-Mart nudges out Nugget." Times-Herald (Vallejo, CA), sec. Local, 9 Nov. 2006. NewsBank: Access World News, infoweb.newsbank.com/apps/news/document-view?p=AWNB&docref=news/11564012698735D8. Accessed 27 Mar. 2021.