If you’ve had the opportunity to travel through Napa Valley, chances are you’ve driven by or visited a little place called Oakville Grocery. Oakville Grocery is quintessential Napa Valley and as much of its history as the grape vines themselves.
At the corner of Highway 29 and Oakville Crossroad, the current building was established in 1881 as a general store, the Oakville Mercantile, to offer provisions and telegraph service to local farmers. Joseph Phelps purchased Oakville Grocery in 1978 and began the transformation into the modern day gourmet foods stores of today. In 1993 the Oakville building was placed on the National Register of Historic Places and is easily identified by the historic Coca-Cola painted exterior wall. Quite amazing this location has operated continuously since its establishment in 1881.
Oakville Grocery owners and locations have come and gone over the years. Most recently, Palo Alto’s Stanford Shopping Center location, opened in 1988, but recently closed in 2008. A San Francisco location closed in early 2007. Other than the original Oakville store, the only other 
current location is in Healdsburg, California (shown below). It opened in 1997 and is housed within the former city hall. Currently, Leslie Rudd, owner of Dean & DeLuca and Rudd Winery, is the proprietor of Oakville Grocery.
Do yourself a favor and ensure your Napa Valley experience is complete by picking up a picnic lunch at Oakville Grocery. Great atmosphere, beautiful location, excellent food and fabulous wine – it’s what makes Napa Valley so special.
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Comments ( 1 Comment )
I was there several years ago and love love love it.
Anonymous added these pithy words on Jul 06 09 at 6:24 pm 
