WinCo Foods Opens Two Highly Anticipated Stores

On Feb. 1, employee-owned discount grocer WinCo Foods opened two new locations: one in Wenatchee, Wash., and another in Bend, Ore. Located at 1340 N. Wenatchee Ave., the Wenatchee store marks the grocer’s 23rd in Washington, while the Bend store at 60 N.E. Bend River Mall Dr., a former ShopKo, is WinCo’s 23rd in Oregon.

Known for its “Wall of Values,” the Boise, Idaho-based WinCo is a membership-free, low-price leader specializing in bulk and affordability. The wall of values “generally represents the very best prices that we can give on products that you want to have at your home,” Steve Corbin, Bend store manager told local news affiliate KTVZ in a recent interview.

“We want to make sure you walk in and see this is our model—low prices, lots of product, no gimmicks. Just buy what you need, as much as you need,” continued Corbin, standing beside WinCo’s Wall of Values.

While the pandemic has pushed many grocers to move to credit cards only, the new WinCo stores only take debit cards, checks, cash and EBT. No credit cards are accepted at its stores. WinCo’s Facebook page alerts shoppers to payment options, as well as the need to wear a mask and bag their own groceries. The new stores are open 24 hours, seven days a week.

The new stores also mark the 130th and 131st stores for the chain, which operates in 10 states, including Arizona, California, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oklahoma, Oregon, Texas, Utah and Washington. According to the WinCo Foods website, new stores are also coming to Missoula and Bozeman, Mont.

WinCo Foods was originally launched as Waremart Foods in 1967. The no-frills warehouse-style retailer that eventually became a supermarket was focused on low prices from the beginning. In 1985, after the passing of the Waremart founder, the company’s employees, under the guidance of then Company President Bill Long, established WinCo Foods’ Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP), and bought a controlling stake in the company. The company was renamed WinCo Foods in 1999.