(Image from Utah State University Student Newspapers, available through J. Willard Marriott Library) 

Countryside Market

While one entrepreneur (unknown name) would reopen the Island Market in 1979 as “Countryside Market,”[80] the business was unable to remain open for longer than two years. By October of 1981, advertisements for the “Island Market” were published,[81] marking a turning point for the store with new ownership: Joanne Hansen and her husband Thomas Duce.[82]  

(Image from Utah State University Student Newspapers, available through J. Willard Marriott Library) 

Joanne Hansen and Family

Around the end of 1981[83] and the start of 1982, Joanne Hansen and Thomas Duce would acquire the property as co-owners and reopen the store, once again using the name “Island Market.” Joanne Hansen’s goal was to defy the odds of the failing corner market system and be “here to stay” (as was declared in the newspaper ad above). Hansen was able to fulfill this statement thanks to the support of the Logan community, as she would run this store for the next three decades. Her daughter, Lisa Udy, would join her as a co-owner and operator beginning in 1995.[84] The community connection built during this time was recorded in a special edition of The Herald Journal in 2009, which is available to click and read below.  

(Image provided by the Island Market) 

Today

Lisa Udy and Joanne Hansen sold the market to a local investment group in 2013. Various small-scale updates, including the installation of new coolers[85] and new store logos on the outside of the building, were implemented.[86]

The COVID-19 Pandemic Story 

Towards the beginning of the COVID-19 shutdowns in 2020, the Island Market reduced their hours—like many other small businesses—for over a month. However, the Island Market quickly became a safe haven for those who desired a safer shopping experience when larger stores like Walmart and Smith’s were wavering with their mask requirements.  

The Island Market was among the first few stores in Logan to require masks upon entry, which was responded to with appreciation from some customers and angry kickback from others. During that period of time, there were community members who chose to shop almost exclusively at the Island Market. Steven Emile, the general manager, commented, “This dedication to our customers earned us a few new regular customers, and promoted growth in our store at a time when we would have thought we were in trouble. The community really came together to support us.”[87]

An additional treasure to the community at the time was the Island Market’s “$1-per-roll" deal for toilet paper. While many supermarkets were running out of essentials (such as toilet paper), the Island Market sought to fight the bulk-buying that had magnified some of the shopping shortages. Many customers would come in daily for their toilet paper ration.[88] Cache Valley Daily wrote an article advocating to stop bulk-buying, featuring the Island Market and the Utah Food Association in the article.[89]