BEST LOCAL MARKET
O LIVER’S MARKET
By Bo Kearns
S teve Maas founded Oliver’s Market in 1988 based on a simple mission: To create a store where people would enjoy shopping. From a humble single-store beginning, the operation has expanded considerably. Now there are four Sonoma County locations and 1,100 employees. And, yet, throughout that substantial growth, one thing has remained consistent— customers love shopping at Oliver’s! Perhaps that’s why they were voted Best Local Market by NBb readers. Another differentiator is its focus on supporting all things local. Sonoma County products represent 29% of total sales. And now employees own the business—hard to get more local than that. Last year Oliver’s completed the final stage of creating an Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) and selling the business to employees. “After meeting certain eligibility requirements, employees are vested, and the ESOP account is theirs to keep,” says General Manager Scott Gross. “It’s an exciting additional benefit that an employee receives at no cost.” Gross began his career at Oliver’s in 2000 working as a produce clerk. He transitioned to the management team in 2005 and became general manager in 2016. “We pride ourselves on great quality, selection, a focus on local
The Oliver’s crew is ready for service.
products and excellent customer service,” Gross says. “We are also very committed to serving our community through our Senior Discount Day, our Community Card Program and many local sponsorships and donations.” v
oliversmarket.com
32 Northbaybiz
Best of the North Bay 2025
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