In a “bittersweet’ decision after 52 years in the grocery business, Don Shone and Dale Downing, co-owners of Sonoma Market and Glen Ellen Village Market, have sold the business to the Sacramento area-based Nugget Markets.
No immediate changes are planned. The stores will keep their names, and employees. The transaction is set to close March 31, with Shone and Downing staying onboard for six months.
“Dale and I can rest assured that our employees, who have helped build this company and are loved by the community, will be well taken care of,” Shone said.
“Don’t worry, Don and I will be working in the markets to ease into retirement and to ensure a smooth transition,” Downing said. “ We look forward to thanking you personally for your patronage and to assure you how great this will be for our employee, community, and you, our most valued and loyal customer.”
Founded in 1926 by CEO Eric Stille’s grandfather and great-grandfather, the family owned operates 15 stores located in Sacramento, Yolo, El Dorado, Placer, Solano and Marin counties.
“It is an honor and a privilege to be given the opportunity to acquire Sonoma and Glen Ellen Village Markets,” Stille said. “Don Shone and Dale Downing, and their entire team have built a fabulous brand. Our Core Values align nicely.”
Shone and Downing agree that Nugget Markets’ good standing with its community, associates and customers played a large part in their decision.
“A big factor in deciding to sell to the Nugget Markets and the Stille family is their dedication and commitment to their employees and customers, “ Shone said. “Though we have been sought after by many companies over the years, only now do we feel we have the perfect fit for our market family.”
Downing said that although the was decision “bittersweet,’ he and Shone are happy to turn the stores over to a retailer that fosters their same values and dedication to our customers and employees.
Nugget Markets was founded in 1926 by the grandfather and great-grandfather of today’s CEO/President, Eric Stille. The family grocery chain offers a unique down-home yet progressive shopping experience that focuses on natural, organic and local products displayed alongside conventional and ethnic items, offering the best of all worlds. Nugget Markets operates 15 stores located in Marin, Solano, Yolo, Sacramento, Placer and El Dorado counties, and is known regionally for its high-quality perishables, including produce, meat and seafood, bakery and chef-led kitchen offerings.
I am very sorry to hear of this buy-out, as I live in Marin County very close to a Nugget Market that took over Paradise Market in Novato. I come to Sonoma Market to do my shopping, as I love the bakery, deli, and especially the meat and fish dept. I am unhappy as to the way the Nugget market operates, that is why I very seldom do my big shopping there. I guess I will now have to find another market to shop.
there goes the neighborhood.
Such a Oustanding Community Market. Let’s HOPE and give the new owners the chance to show they can maintain the high standards set by this Gem.