History

In 1981 Lee and Shari Badger had their start in the grocery business by purchasing a small grocery store in Smithfield called Jack's Foodtown. Over the next few years, the store was remodeled several times, finally doubling in size by 1991. Meanwhile, the north end of Cache Valley was growing so rapidly that spring of 1994 brought the grand opening of Lee's Marketplace, a larger, brand-new building directly across the street from Jack's Foodtown. This new store included an exciting new pharmacy, deli, scratch bakery and expanded departments. After 13 years and with this new location, Lee and Shari dropped the name of Jack's Foodtown and began the legacy of Lee's Marketplace.

Over the years, a second location joined the Lee's Family. Opening in 1999, the Logan store brought many new services to the table. This new store offered a sit-down style deli, a designer floral department, a state-of-the-art bakery, a full-service butcher block, seafood counter, and its own pharmacy.

As the northern end of Cache Valley continued to grow, the original Smithfield location grew with it, with a large remodel in 2005 and another large renovation and addition in 2016.

2007 brought North Ogden, formerly Acres Market, to expand the company south of Cache Valley.

The growth continued from there with the addition of an Ace Hardware store in March of 2016, situated next to the Smithfield Location.

Later in October of 2016, Lee's welcomed the Heber location to the company. Formerly Day's Market, Lee's has welcomed ideas, innovations, and experience from the family-friendly grocery store. January of 2017 Lee's opened their newly built masterpiece store in North Salt Lake.

February of 2020 initiated a three-year experimental store in downtown Salt Lake City: Lee’s Market at 4th West. This new concept store was much smaller than the other locations and catered to the busy urban environment.

In February of 2022, Lee’s Marketplace opened its farthest south location in Herriman, nestled against the Oquirrh Mountains.

After much anticipation, the third location in Cache Valley opened in June of 2023 in Richmond, just twenty-five minutes north of the original Smithfield location.

Currently in seven locations with plans underway for even more, Lee's Marketplace still offers the quality, freshness, and made-from-scratch promise that it is known for. Its Ace Hardware locations are included in this growing family and are there for whatever project you are working on.

Lee's Legacy:

Lee loved greeting each of his customers and looking at them as guests in his stores. He valued getting to know his employees and recognized the people around him, the people that made Lee's what it is. Lee Badger left a legacy of bright, clean, and friendly grocery stores. His stores were competitive in pricing, well-stocked, bright, maintained, and clean.

Lee's carries on the traditions started in 1981 retaining their core values of friendly service, respect, integrity, exceptional, neat & clean, and dependable.

Lee's Marketplace believes that grocery shopping should be a fun and enjoyable experience for our Team and our Guests. We will continually improve the expertise of our team, commit to providing freshness and quality in our products, and provide a clean, safe shopping environment. Lee's Marketplace pledges to support the local communities in which we serve and to have integrity in all that we do.