Yoke's Fresh Market is an employee-owned Spokane, Washington-based chain of grocery stores founded in 1946 by Marshall and Harriet Yoke. The chain was established by their son Chuck in the 1960s and now encompasses 13 stores in Washington and Idaho, primarily in the Spokane area. In 1990, Chuck sold the chain to the employees. John Bole currently directs company operations.
Recently, the chain had begun expanding towards the southeastern portion of Washington, with three stores in Pasco, Kennewick, and West Richland with another store planned in south Richland.
The chain specializes in fresh local produce (and of recently, had a bi-weekly promotion called "Fresh Friday", (which has specials on fresh produce, as well as seafood or fresh meat), and a once-a-month breakfast cereal sale on Fridays. However, starting on May 1 of 2009, a new promotion came into existence, known as 'The Fresh Board'. Weekly, promotions of groceries are posted outside the doors of the Yokes' markets, as well as the insides of the stores.
Yoke's also has a store-owned cattle company featuring 100% Hereford beef, as well as an in-store gourmet cheese shop featuring cheeses from all over the world. Also near the cheese shop are olive bars with a variety of brine-cured and oil-cured olives, as well as other relishes.
Many of the stores also have branches of Global Credit Union, some featuring drive-in banking.
Famous quotes containing the words yoke, fresh and/or market:
“Come to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
—Bible: New Testament, Matthew 11:28-30.
Jesus.
“Ice is an interesting subject for contemplation. They told me that they had some in the ice-houses at Fresh Pond five years old which was as good as ever. Why is it that a bucket of water soon becomes putrid, but frozen remains sweet forever? It is commonly said that this is the difference between the affections and the intellect.”
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862)
“the old palaces, the wallets of the tourists,
the Common Market or the smart cafés,
the boulevards in the graceful evening,
the cliff-hangers, the scientists,
and the little shops raising their prices
mean nothing to me.”
—Anne Sexton (1928–1974)