Ormson’s SuperValu sold to Nilssen’s Foods

By LeAnn R. Ralph

GLENWOOD CITY  —  As of March 1, Ormson’s SuperValu became Nilssen’s Foods.

Brian Ormson, who bought the grocery store from his father in 1994, says he was ready to retire.

“My father bought (the store) in 1989 from Bud Peterson. From there, I bought the store in 1994 from my father. I have been in this location since April of ‘97,” Ormson said.

The grocery store previously was located several blocks to the east on Oak Street where the hardware store is now.

“I bought it from my dad when he came down with cancer. He didn’t make it long after that. … I joined him after college after working in the banking industry for a couple of years. I joined him in 1993 at the old location,” Ormson explained.

“We’ve been 19 years here, and 21 years of ownership in all. I’ve been working in the grocery industry since 1976 in one capacity or another. Part-time. Full-time … I’ve been in the business a long time, and I’m ready to pass it on to someone else,” he said.

Single store operators are “a dying breed,” Ormson noted.

The store in Glenwood City will make the fifth grocery store for Nilssen’s Foods.

Ormson said the change in ownership will bring positive changes for Glenwood City, such as the ability to buy in higher volumes.

“They should be good changes, and we are looking forward to that. Not only that, Jason and I sought each other out for opportunity. This was never on the open market. For me, it was finding the right fit, the right person for this town and this community … this was the best option out there for us,” Ormson said.

When asked if he had plans to travel, Ormson laughed.

“I’ll be leaving Thursday for the golf course in California. It’s an annual trip. And I will be with people who are in the grocery industry,” he said.

“It will be a nice opportunity for us to grow our company. It’s right in our home area. We’re hoping to bring good things to the community,” said Jason Nilssen.

“We know the community. Theresa and I lived here for four years, from 2001 to 2005. We know a lot of people. We were members at St. John’s here in town. We were members there for ten years. We’ve always known Brian and Tammy so it works out well. We live in Woodville,” Nilssen said.

Jason and Theresa Nilssen have seven children, ranging in age from college down to second grade.

“I’m fourth generation. My two uncles are still in the business. They own the Clear Lake store. The three of us own the Cumberland store. Theresa and I own the Baldwin, Ellsworth and now Glenwood City,” Nilssen said.

The Nilssen family has been in the grocery business since 1903 when Jason Nilssen’s great-grandfather,  Carl Nilssen, opened the grocery store in Clear Lake.

“My great-grandfather started it. My grandfather is still alive. He is second generation. He just turned 88. My dad (Brad) retired a few years back. Now it’s his younger brothers that own the business in Clear Lake,” he said.

Jason Nilssen graduated from Clear Lake High School in 1992. He completed his college education and then worked for various grocery companies for 14 years before purchasing his first store in Baldwin.

In March of 2012, Jason Nilssen purchased the grocery store in Ellsworth.

In July of 2013, along with his uncles Carl and Larry, he purchased the store in Cumberland.

Jason’s uncles do the smoking for Nilssen’s smokehouse meats and do the processing at the Clear Lake store.

“We hope to get some of those (smokehouse) products here in the store (opening day March 1) for folks to try,” Jason Nilssen said.

“It is important to keep the grocery store in a small town. The grocery store. The school. They are critical for small towns,” he said.

Shawn Eggen will be the store manager in Glenwood City. He previously was the assistant manager in Ellsworth.

Eggen’s family is from Baldwin, and Shawn is the fourth generation of his family in the grocery business.

“We are looking forward to having Shawn over here. The main thing is to get involved in the community right away. Schools. Churches. Other groups and organizations. However we can help out, we would love to do it,” Jason Nilssen said.