Two Stores, One Mission: Friendly Street Market Grows With the Community It Serves
Eugene's longtime natural foods neighborhood market has expanded into Springfield, leaning on local loyalty to carry it through the hardest stretch in its history.
A Neighborhood Staple
Friendly Street Market has been part of Eugene's natural foods scene long enough to earn the title of one of the city's oldest stores of its kind. Rooted in the Friendly Street neighborhood, it has functioned less like a conventional grocery and more like a community hub, a place where neighbors run into each other and staff know the regulars by name.
Getting Through the Hard Part
When the pandemic arrived, Gilfillan found herself fielding questions she had no answers for. Customers were anxious about the safety of their groceries, uncertain whether shelves would stay stocked, and looking to familiar neighborhood businesses for reassurance that simply wasn't available yet. "Everybody was really scared, and no one had any information," she recalls. "I was just as in the dark as everyone else."
“We've been able to help the neighborhood and do what we can to really support people during this difficult time.”
Erin Gilfillan, owner, Friendly Street Market
New Tools, Familiar Values
One practical response was a partnership with an online grocery ordering platform that gave customers the option of home delivery or curbside pickup. The shift let shoppers order and pay entirely online, a convenience that expanded access for people who were uncomfortable coming inside or simply couldn't. Gilfillan describes it as a service that genuinely resonated with customers.
Looking Forward
Gilfillan's tone shifts noticeably when she talks about what comes next. After a stretch defined by restrictions and distance, she is looking forward to the simple things: customers back in the aisles, familiar faces returning after long absences, the ordinary warmth of a neighborhood store doing what it has always done.