The European inspiration behind the Fresh Market grocery chain

In 1930, the grocery shopping experience was transformed when the first King Kullen supermarket opened in Queens, New York. The first grocery chains (like Kroger and Loblaws) emerged in the 1920s, but they were still limited in the types of products they offered under one roof. With the rise of King Kullen, the days of going to the butcher, baker, and greengrocer separately began to fade: all of these necessities were in one convenient location, and you could shop at just one grocery store. By the 1980s, the giant supermarket was the norm. But when Ray and Beverly Berry opened the first The Fresh Market in Greensboro, North Carolina, in 1982, they had a different idea in mind.

Just before Ray Berry left his job running several thousand 7-Eleven stores, the couple had traveled to Europe. As they toured its quaint cities, they had fallen in love with the European marketplace. The produce was fresh and the interactions were intimate. Growers, butchers and purveyors of all kinds sold their wares from stalls to groups of shoppers. The Berrys were determined to bring these charming tableaux home.

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A long history of outdoor dining and trading

The original 14,000-square-foot market was inspired by those European markets, and that aesthetic has carried over into the stores. Wooden shelves and racks display brightly colored vegetables, glass jars hold old-fashioned candies, and wicker baskets hold fresh flowers. On days when you shop at the Fresh Market, you’ll often find striped awnings over prepared food counters or the old-fashioned butcher shop. The store’s atmosphere stands out from its competitors because the owners have tried to create a welcoming, familiar space to shop for the best produce, high-quality meats, and fresh bread.

Although still a supermarket, the grocery chain has participated in a millennia-old market tradition. Organized markets date back thousands of years and exist all over the world: from Egypt more than 4,000 years ago to the height of the Roman Empire, from European cities in the Middle Ages to the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul, Turkey, which has been continuously occupied since the 15th century. Markets have played a crucial role in the development of societies and cultures, providing communal spaces for direct trade. Even in modern times, European markets are still vibrant, from open-air gatherings in small villages to vast rows of stalls in metropolitan areas. The first The Fresh Market store has spawned more than 150 other locations, but the full origin of the market

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