Our Sourcing Philosophy

At Local First Market, we believe where something comes from matters. We started this market because there are so many incredible farmers, food producers, makers, and small businesses in our region — but finding and buying from them isn’t always easy. Our goal is to bring more of those goods together in one place and make shopping local feel practical enough for everyday life.

Local first

When we source a product, our first question is simple: Can we find a great version of this closer to home? We look first to producers in and around Snohomish County, then across Washington, and then to the broader Pacific Northwest when needed.

Being local doesn’t mean every item has to come from the same zip code. It means we make a deliberate effort to keep more of our sourcing close to home whenever quality, availability, and price make sense.

Everyday goods, not just specialty goods

We love beautiful, unique products — but Local First Market is not meant to be a shop you visit only for gifts or special occasions. We want to carry the things people actually use: pantry staples, snacks, household essentials, seasonal foods, and products that can become part of your regular routine. The more everyday purchases we can source locally, the more meaningful the impact can become.

Quality matters

Local is important to us, but it isn’t the only standard. We look for products that are well made, thoughtfully produced, and worth bringing home. We care about ingredient quality, usefulness, transparency, and whether a product genuinely belongs in the market.

Our guiding question is: Would our customers expect to find this here — and would we feel good recommending it? If the answer is no, we don’t carry it just because it is local.

Local should still feel accessible

We don’t believe “local” should automatically mean out of reach. Small-scale production often costs more, and we respect the work that goes into producing food and goods responsibly. At the same time, we want Local First Market to be a place people can shop regularly, not just occasionally. We’ll work to balance fair pricing for producers with approachable pricing for customers whenever possible.

Shelf space is a community asset

Every product we choose to carry is also a choice about who gets visibility. We see our shelves as a way to give small farms, makers, and independent businesses access to more customers — especially producers who may not have the reach of larger brands. When possible, we want you to know who made what you’re buying, where it came from, and the story behind it.

Regional when local isn’t possible

Some products simply aren’t grown or made nearby, and some essentials may be difficult to source locally at a practical price. When that happens, we’ll look for the next best option: Washington-made, Pacific Northwest-made, or thoughtfully sourced from farther away. We would rather be transparent about that than force a definition of “local” that doesn’t make sense.

Seasonal by nature

Our assortment will change throughout the year. Produce, ingredients, availability, and small-batch production all move with the seasons. That means some products may come and go, some may only appear once a year, and new producers will rotate in over time. We think that is part of what makes a local market special.

Thoughtful growth

We are starting small and building carefully. As Local First Market grows, our sourcing will grow with it — but our priorities will stay the same: Local first. Quality always. Practical for everyday life.

Our goal is not perfection. It is to make better sourcing choices, create more opportunities for small producers, and make it easier for our community to spend more of its everyday dollars closer to home.

Local goods. Healthier homes. Stronger communities.