Business Community
Island View Market owner hoping to find a new steward to buy the shop
For nearly three-quarters of a century, Island View market on Ray Nash Drive has been a staple for residents in need of fuel or food.
And it still can be a convenient location for the right buyer. Jerry Montiel, the owner of the quaint market for the past six years, is ready to hang up his grocery store apron. It’s time, he said.
Several people have shown interest since he put up a “for sale by owner” sign above the store, said Montiel, 61.
“That was inspiring given today’s economy,” he said. “It’s nice to see the interest. It’s a historic location loved by many.
The Island View Market on Ray Nash Drive is up for sale by owner.
“The funnest part about owning a place, you hear the stories and you hear about people coming by when it was a candy store when they were young. Now they’re bringing their own children or grandchildren in.”
Donald Steenvoorde walked up the stairs from the waterfront to take his children for a snack inside the store. Steenvoorde said he has fond memories of going to the store on bicycles with his friends for penny candy.
Now he’s bringing his own children.
Related story
Greg Spadoni probes the history of the Island View Market building. Read it here.
“This is such a great area to raise my children,” Steenvoorde said. “I pop in here all the time. When we need something basic, like little essentials.”
Another market about a mile down the road also offers gas and essentials, but the water access makes Island View Market unique.
Denny Cline of Gig Harbor said he shops in Island View Market all the time. He’ll often come by for a snack, some ice cream or an essential item, he said.
“I like coming by here and picking up things,” Cline said.
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The market
Montiel would not disclose the price of the property to Gig Harbor Now. He said only serious buyers could learn his asking price.
He wants to find a caretaker who will carry on the tradition of providing grab-and-go food, local products and everything from firewood to bags of soil. The lot is 20,113 square feet and the shop is about 1,560 feet, according to the Pierce County tax assessor’s report. The assessed value is $739,000.
“The store is the biggest part of the business,” Montiel said. “We’re a lunch spot. We always have a pot of coffee on and hotdogs on the grill six days a week.”
Island View Market in 2023.
The property includes a cottage that Montiel turned into a vacation rental. There’s also about 200 feet of waterfront with a dock, he said. And it’s just a few minutes by kayak to Dead Man’s Island.
“It would be nice to find someone who can caretake it and keep it going,” Montiel said. “I like to think we have what you need, when you need it. The central theme of the market is to support local.”
Montiel purchased the property in 2020 for $740,000. Soon after, the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department made him stop seating customers in the waterfront area of the store.
A lawsuit ensued over the use of the waterfront area, which previous owners James and Christine Ohlinger billed as a pub, according to news accounts. Health officials eventually allowed Montiel to provide 10 seats in the lower waterfront area, according to the lawsuit. But that wasn’t enough to sustain the Public House.
The lawsuit accused the Ohlingers of “negligent and fraudulent misrepresentation,” as well as breach of contract, through assurances allegedly made to the Montiels that the business had the necessary permissions to seat customers in the waterfront pub area.
The parties settled the lawsuit out of court, according to public records.