Akins Fresh Market

Akins Fresh Market was founded on February 23, 1963, when Arlis M. Akins opened his first grocery store in Quincy, Washington, built on a commitment to serving small rural communities with integrity and personal service. His son John Akins Sr. began working alongside his father at the age of six, eventually becoming Vice President before taking over the company following Arlis's passing in 2007. Now in its third generation, John Sr.'s sons Nicholas and John Jr. are active in daily operations, continuing the family's mission of treating customers and employees alike as family. The chain operates stores across Central Washington, including Quincy, Soap Lake, Oroville, and Ritzville — communities that larger regional chains have largely bypassed. In 2021, Akins Fresh Market was named Retailer of the Year by the Washington Food Industry Association, recognizing the family's lifetime commitment to independent community grocery retail.