CULVER, Ore. — The Culver community is welcoming plans to bring a full-scale grocery store to the fast growing community of around 1,700 people.
Culver has a Dollar General and small market, but there isn’t a place where you can do your grocery shopping for the week. A new feasibility study conducted by business consultant Competinomics showed the need and want for a grocery store in the city.
“With this sustainability study, they did identify that Culver is the only city in Oregon of its size without a full-service grocery store,” said Jefferson County Chamber Director Debbie Taylor. “So, we’re talking about the fresh fruits, the fresh vegetables, meats.”
Taylor has also been a resident of Culver for 15 years.
“I would love to be able to tell my teenagers, hey, run to the store and grab me a gallon of milk, or hey, we need a tomato for dinner tonight. I would love to have the opportunity to do that and having a full-scale grocery store not only benefits our family, but the families that are there,” Taylor said.
Culver has recently seen new projects like a skate park, a food truck lot called Shorty’s Taphouse, a library building and housing development on the way.
The study found that since the mid-2000s, the population has grown at 3% per year. In 2020 was home to 1,600 residents.
Annual spending on groceries is expected to surpass $16 million by 2030. The city’s population is expected to grow from 1,700 to 2,300 people in that same time.
The report found that Culver has a young population with a high percentage of families.
“A lot of people are moving into this town,” said Culver resident Dan File. “So, I mean, with the new subdivision coming in, probably could use it.”
File said he moved back to Culver, where his parents live, four years ago.
“I think it would help,” he said. “My parents are elderly, and driving is getting harder. Having to go down to Madras or Redmond to get groceries. So closer would be better for them.”
Jefferson County area director for Economic development for Central Oregon (EDCO) Brenna O’Sullivan-Fulks helped secure a $50,000 grant to have this study conducted.
“From a livability standpoint, from an EDCO perspective, it’s really helpful to attract investment and make our communities more livable,” she said. “Having a grocery store is really important.”
O’Sullivan-Fulks says the next steps are having a business recruitment campaign to bring in interested parties involved and help find the best fit for the City of Culver.
Dining and Cooking