Rosauers Supermarkets
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Grocery retail |
| Founded | 1934 |
| Founder | J. Merton Rosauer |
| Headquarters | Spokane , United States |
Area served | Washington, Idaho, Montana, Oregon |
| Products | Grocery stores, natural and organic products (Huckleberry's Natural Market), pharmacy, ice cream manufacturing |
Number of employees | 1250 (as of 1990 employee stock ownership plan) |
| Parent | URM Stores |
Rosauers Supermarkets, Inc. is a regional grocery chain based in Spokane, Washington, operating 23 locations throughout Washington, Idaho, Montana, and Oregon as of 2023. Established in 1934 by entrepreneur J. Merton Rosauer, the business was acquired in 1984 by Spokane-based grocery distributor URM Stores. The company conducts its operations under the banners of Huckleberry's Natural Market, Rosauers, and Super 1 Foods.
History
The enterprise began when J. Merton Rosauer (1914–1990) bought a modest grocery store in Spokane using a $1,000 loan from his parents. After expanding and selling multiple outlets, he inaugurated Spokane’s first supermarket in 1949. Prior to retiring in 1984, Rosauer sold the firm to URM Stores. By 1986, the chain had grown to 25 stores with about 1,500 employees spread across four states.
In 1990, an employee stock ownership plan allowed 1,250 workers to take ownership of 15 supermarkets, a pharmacy, an ice cream manufacturing facility, and the corporate headquarters. This restructuring aimed to align employees’ interests with the company’s expansion goals.
Following an employee vote favoring the change, URM Stores reacquired Rosauers in 2000. At that point, the company operated 19 stores within the Inland Northwest and ranked among Spokane County’s largest employers. Subsequent growth included new stores opening in Yakima, Washington (2002), and Bozeman, Montana (2007).
The business encountered operational difficulties such as the 2008 roof collapse at its Francis Street Spokane location caused by heavy snow accumulation. The incident resulted in damages exceeding $1 million but only minor injuries.
Rosauers entered southern Idaho’s market in 2011 with a Meridian store featuring Huckleberry's Natural Market and a culinary school; however, this store was closed in 2017 due to poor financial performance.
Expansion into western Washington occurred with the December 2019 opening of a Ridgefield store after delays caused by weather conditions and permitting challenges. Since April 2022, Rosauers has partnered with delivery service Instacart to improve its customer service model, adapting to changing consumer behaviors and growth in e-commerce.
Huckleberry's Natural Market
Rosauers introduced the first Huckleberry's Natural Market on Spokane’s South Hill in 1996 as part of a strategic move into natural and organic product offerings. A second location launched the same year in Spokane Valley but was later shuttered. Since then, sections dedicated to Huckleberry's Natural Market have been incorporated into both new and existing Rosauers stores to meet increasing consumer demand for natural products.