Ava's Downtown Market & Deli

I visited this market for the first time today to check out Ry’s Poke Shack, which is located inside the market. The market itself had a good selection of food, including some healthy options. I’m giving it a 1-star review because of my experience with one of the market's employees. After placing an order at Ry’s Poke Shack, my partner and I waited nearby, next to some carts. We had previously waited in the same area when we ordered earlier. So we didn’t realize that we weren’t supposed to stand there. An employee with purple/fuchsia hair approached us in a very aggressive way, coming in hot saying, “You can’t stand here! Our manager doesn’t want anyone blocking the items for our customers. You need to wait outside for your order or over there,” while pointing toward another restaurant in the market. I tried to explain that we didn’t know, but she continued yelling at us to move. When I raised my voice slightly to make sure she could hear me, she responded by yelling, “We didn’t know either! We just found out today by our manager!” My partner and I moved to the other restaurant area as instructed. However, I then overheard the employee telling the cashier, “I’m going to be mean and match their energy and be mean too!” before walking away. Honestly, the entire interaction was extremely off-putting and unnecessary. Having worked in customer service and currently working in public service, I understand that employees sometimes need to enforce rules or communicate changes to customers. However, there is a respectful and professional way to communicate, and this was not it. We were not intentionally blocking merchandise or trying to inconvenience anyone. We simply didn’t know that we weren’t allowed to wait in that area, especially since we had waited there previously without any issues. Had the employee approached us politely and explained the situation, we would have had no problem moving. Instead, her confrontational approach made us feel as though we were being blamed for something we were unaware of. What made the experience even worse was overhearing her say that she intended to be mean and match our energy. As a customer, I found that attitude completely unprofessional. If the market has specific rules about where customers should wait for their food orders, there should be clear signage or better communication, especially when accommodating food stalls operating within the market. They should consider how it can better organize the space to prevent confusion for customers! Anyway, this is just constructive criticism. Not trying to get anyone reprimanded, but to make them aware of how attitudes can make a difference toward interactions with customers/people.

This review is related to an interaction I experienced with a staff member while visiting the grocery store and Ry's Poke Shack (which is located inside). This happened to also be my first time experience at Ava's Market. Ry's Poke is tucked onto the side of where the cashiers are at. The line to the shop is right next to the cashiers which makes it VERY difficult to line up and also wait for the food. Depending at what time you go, you could end up waiting 15-20 minutes before you get your food. We decided to walk around the store while we waited for our food and purchased some items and checked out. We then returned to wait near Ry's since our food was not ready yet. While the staff working Ry's were nice, the staff at the grocery store were not. They get upset with the customers waiting for their orders and will rudely approach/yell at you to move and wait elsewhere. While I understand the reason that they would like customers to move so it doesn't block the cashier area, it should be the responsibility of the store to figure out a better system for this. Why take out the frustration on the paying customers? To be honest, just on that experience, I am not sure if I would return. TLDR: Rude customer service.

They carry the best pre-made crossiants

Very limited options - high prices.

A great selection of wonderful foods.

A fantastic local supermarket that I frequently visit on my business trips to the area. It’s my favorite place to pick up local drinks like kombucha and yogurt, as well as small, thoughtful gifts like local lip balms and soaps. They have a wonderfully curated flower section that is always worth checking out. The best part about this store is their rotating inventory—the product lineup is completely different every time I go, making each visit a fun and unique experience.

Nice store. But selling expired goods on a discount table. In some cases the expiration dates are even crossed out.

Unclean and expired groceries.

Exceptional dairy selection Best prices on dairy around. The milk aisle alone is worth the visit — they stock raw goat and raw sheep milk alongside all the usual options. A solid wine section that goes beyond the predictable. The Armenian bottles are a genuine find. Good variety and consistently fresh produce. A proper poke stand and a Mexican food bar make this a great lunch stop or quick dinner solution.

Visited this shop in September 2024. Great food!