About Oliver Lemon's

Our Story

We began this awesome, delicious adventure in 1976, when we opened close to downtown Bend. During this journey, we have formed a deep connection to this community which we love dearly. It’s a point of pride we are the ones who have been responding to the diverse and discerning tastes of our fellow Bendites. And so, over the years, we have fashioned ourselves into more than just a boutique grocery store. We are a must-do, local experience, finely tuned to our customers’ cravings for real food and real fun. That’s the real Central Oregon.

In 2015, the flagship store of our company, Newport Ave. Market in Bend, became Central Oregon’s first and only locally founded and employee-owned grocery store.

Fast forward to 2017 when Rudy’s Markets Inc. was approached by Melvin’s in Sisters to buy their store. Leap to September of that year and we became a two-store chain! We love it when a plan comes together! Melvin’s became Melvin’s by Newport Ave. Market.

Not your usual market. Since then, we have focused, as we always have at both locations, on being the preferred grocery store for our neighbors, with a secondary focus on visitors from around the world. We do this by curating our selection of all things food and drink. With the partnership of our flagship store and a fleet of refrigerated rigs, we are able to fulfill specialty requests like just-swimming seafood, Oregon Country Beef, gift baskets, exotic cheeses, and surprising gifts (just to name a few), to Sisters Country.

The next phase in growing our company came January 2020, when we took our next two big steps. The first was the purchase of Terrebonne Thriftway in Terrebonne, Oregon. That same day, both Melvin’s by Newport Ave. Market and Terrebonne Thriftway became Oliver Lemon’s and joined Newport Ave. Market to become a three-store chain, under Rudy’s Markets Inc., that started right here in Central Oregon and is 100% Employee Owned.

This is our home. We are neighbors, friends, and family. We are proud to be an employer of choice that offers premium industry wages and above average benefits for our employee owners. We take tremendous pride in how we participate in our community. Giving to all worthy causes, with a special focus on food-related issues. To do this it requires people choose to shop with us so we can in turn treat our employee owners fairly and participate in our community by giving. Life is short. Eat good food.

Employee Owned

How YOU benefit from our Employee Ownership

In 2015, the flagship store of our company, Newport Ave. Market in Bend, became Central Oregon’s first and only locally founded employee-owned grocery store. For you, this means that, like Newport, our Oliver Lemon’s staff (both Sisters and Terrebonne stores) are invested in making your shopping experience the best possible!

We know more, and care more!

Our staff takes pride in all they do, and the success of our stores for our community, neighbors, friends, families, and visitors alike. The success of our stores creates an incredible opportunity for our employee owners to have a real shot at retirement funds when that day comes; by showing up and doing a great job day in and day out and it doesn’t cost the employee a thing, just hard work and dedication.