Cooler upgrade brightens market

Photos and story by Karen Bertroch

Okie's Market in Naselle recently replaced their old refrigeration and freezer cases with large, new ones. The old cases were often out of order and the ice cream was certainly not hard.

The new produce area is twice as large as the old one and the new cases have many shelves with plenty of room for organic fruit and vegetables.

Another advantage is the increased lighting inside the cases. The ice cream area is much larger with many more flavors and brands to choose from. Instead of offering a few frozen pizzas, now there are many brands, including Newman's Own, a new brand for Okie's.

With the increased size and number of cases, and the brightly colored vegetables in the produce cases, it's almost a new store. During the first year of the Covid-19 pandemic, many locals decided to purchase their food from Okie's rather than travel to the bigger stores in Astoria.

With the new cases offering so many more selections, it's hoped more customers will decide to shop from Okie's on a regular basis. As was said to visitors last summer, "Don't let the portable toilet fool you; it's a regular grocery store."