It’s Friday night on the southern edge of Eugene. A deli cook calls out an order for a Reuben while a cashier rings up a pack of Camel Filter cigarettes and pops the top off a 22-ounce bottle of IPA by Ninkasi, a Eugene brewery growing more prominent by the day. Six tables reside in the midst of all the clamor of the deli, the ringing of the cash register and the infinity of beer and wine aisles growing too big for its confines. 

At one table, a gray-haired man in his 60s sits alone. As he sips his glass of red wine, he exchanges pleasantries with the deli worker as she delivers Reubens to the table next to him. Four college-aged boys crack 24-ounce Molson cans and yell at the flat screen TV on the wall as the Lakers blow out another opponent. Lost in the ensemble of eating, drinking, and laughing is the faint sound of “Lola” by the Kinks, playing over the modest sound system and under the hum of the not-so-modest beer refrigerators. 

“It’s just another normal night, really,” said Ryan Harvey, a clerk at Jiffy Market. Located on the cross-streets of 34th and Hilyard, Jiffy Market’s sign reads: “The place to be since ’63,” which, on this typical Friday night, seems to state the truth.

As Oregon continues to endure a $3 billion deficit and a double-digit unemployment rate in a national recession that rivals that of the 1930s, its business landscape has remained in perilous flux. Storefronts across the state have become abandoned, as many small retail businesses can no longer afford the high costs of rent. Even Joe’s Sporting Goods, a long-running staple of the Northwest since 1952, could not survive the currently dire landscape. But all the while, Jiffy Market has carried on without so much as a flinch.

Joe Robertson took over Jiffy Market with his brother, Thomas Robertson, and transformed it from a corner store to a unique Eugene cafe.

Its business model is simple and has allowed the small family-owned store to thrive in Eugene for more than half a century: Good beer and a personable connection with its supporting community, Jiffy Market co-owner Tom Robertson said, will win an unwavering devotion from customers. It is the same approach Ninkasi Brewery, an upstart power in the Oregon craft beer industry, has utilized and seemingly mastered in only three years of existence. 

Tucked into a small shopping complex at the very edge of town, next to a laundromat and a pet-grooming store, is Jiffy Market’s modest entry — easily missed in the blink of an eye. But inside, one glimpse of the beer selection could easily overwhelm even the biggest beer enthusiast. The fridges glow with white light, humming like soft-spoken angels. The 14 doors of ice-cold beer disappear into the far reaches of Jiffy’s convenience store-like aisles, requiring two trips down and back to even begin to comprehend the extent of the selection. 

Many of the six-packs stand on shelves missing a bottle or two, as a small corner of the stock is dedicated to stray bottles marked at a discounted price. This is because, at Jiffy, customers are free to pluck a single bottle and drink it right in the store.

Near the end of the day, the dairy locker appears empty, alone and forgotten, but with every stretch of downtime, Harvey is headfirst in a beer fridge, making sure the most popular labels are fully stocked. The task often proves daunting as the beer dissipates quickly when customers stick around to drink a second or third round in the in-store dining area — a service other convenience stores do not afford. He finely manicures the fridges’ contents, making sure the six-packs are snugly placed together and the labels are faced forward for maximum customer convenience. The sight alone could make a beer drinker’s mouth water — with labels of every color commingling to form a beautiful collage that could turn into a Jackson Pollock painting with a mere squint.

The beer selection is impressive, but the wine enthusiast will say Jiffy’s wine selection is unmatched. It is intimidating, not only because of the overwhelming abundance of choices and quantities, but because one false step amid the towers of fermented grapes could rain down a symphony of shattered glass and a sea of red reminiscent of the Plagues of Egypt. Wine has persisted as Jiffy’s breadwinner since Tom Robertson expanded the selection in 1985. 

“We sell every type of wine. Twenty-five years ago we had about three different distributors, and now we have 30,” Robertson said, in his content, laid-back drawl. “We probably have about 1,300 wine labels.”

A new business identity

Robertson was only a kid when his parents, Ed and Bert, first opened the Jiffy Market in 1963. The original Jiffy bore little resemblance to the current rendition. It had shopping carts, vegetable, meat and fruit departments, canned goods, frozen foods, and dairy products. It was a traditional grocery store, something that the Jiffy of today could not be mistaken for.

“I worked here when it first opened as a box boy. I was in junior high, and I worked here through high school. Joe, my brother and partner, started working here 40 years ago,” he said.

In 1980, 17 years after the store’s inception, the Robertson brothers bought out their father and took full ownership of the store. But with the rise of chain grocery stores looming, the two knew that Jiffy’s old-fashioned business model would not be competitive for long. Rather than trying to compete with the Albertson’s and the Safeways that started to take residence in Eugene, they instead redefined the Jiffy experience. The Robertsons got rid of the high-overhead produce and fruit aisles, turned the meat department into a deli and eatery, and expanded the beer and wine aisles into comprehensive one-stop shops. 

Now, after almost 25 years of business, Tom Robertson does not bat an eye when asked about the future of Jiffy Market. Even when an extravagant, brightly-lit Dari Mart moved in one block down from Jiffy several years ago, it did not cause him or his brother any worry.

“The Dari Mart is a different clientele. We’ve had customers who have been shopping here for over 30 years that are really loyal,” Robertson said.

Robertson estimates that roughly 60 percent of his customers are regulars, many of whom he knows by name. “Hey, Lucky! How’re ya doin’?” he yells as he sees one of his longtime customers walk in through the door.

“There are regulars that come in and always order wine,” Harvey said. “I’ll come over and pour their bottles without them even having to give their order.”

Sarah Cote, a cook in the deli, said she also often knows what customers want before they order it.

“It’s a local place filled with local people. Most of them just stumbled upon it,” she said. “A lot of people will be doing their laundry next door [at Spin City Laundry], get bored, and realize there’s beer over here. So they’ll come in for a drink or two, and soon enough, they’ll start coming in every week.”

With a slight frame, dreadlocked hair, and a warm smile to soften her matter-of-fact demeanor, Cote works in the deli serving mostly meat even though she is a vegetarian. The deli features full menus for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, including egg and hashbrown plates, tuna melts, hot pastrami sandwiches, and burgers all for around $6.75. Skilled in her trade, Cote’s culinary repertoire and accommodating nature renders the menu limitless. 

“I’ll make people what they want. I mean, they’re paying for it after all.” She even takes on meatless alternatives for her vegetarian customers. “I’ll make a Reuben or a French dip, but instead of the roast beef, I’ll use a garden burger. It tastes great.”

Alcohol: seemingly recession-proof

Ninkasi Brewing cellar worker Jeff Coccia cleans one of the large fermenters that hold up to 240 kegs of beer. Ninkasi beers have exploded onto the Oregon beer scene, filling the racs of regional pubs and markets.

Robertson said he has seen the effects of Oregon’s current recession, but he hasn’t really seen any effect on Jiffy.

“People still drink during recessions; they spend less money, but they’re still drinking,” he said. “High-end wines are slow, but the medium-priced wine is where all the activity is. And the deli is doing fine.”

Jiffy also features six beers on tap, including two varieties from Ninkasi Brewing.

“The pints of Ninkasi cost $4.25, but the 22-ounce bottles only cost $3.45,” Harvey said. “Lately, most people have been buying the bottles ’cause they save like 80 cents, but they get a half pint more. It’s economical, you know?”

Across town it’s happy hour at Starlight Lounge on the bar blocks of Olive Street. A smattering of people sit at the bar and on the leather couches, the beers in their hands stating that they’re at the bar because Ninkasi pints are only $2. 

“If someone wants an IPA, 80 percent of the time it’s gonna be Ninkasi,” said Morgan, a Starlight bartender. “I’ve only been [in Eugene] for about a year, and I just see it everywhere now.”

The front window of the Starlight Lounge is adorned with the teal encircled “N” that has become ubiquitous with the drinking culture of Eugene. From the beer aisles to the bar taps, to logoed pint glasses, to t-shirts, stickers and concert posters, Ninkasi’s presence in Eugene is nearly unavoidable. For most business brands, it might take decades to so deeply establish itself. For Ninkasi, it took less than three years.

In 2006, Jamie Floyd started Ninkasi in the basement of Sophia’s Restaurant in Springfield using a 15-barrel brew-house equipped for pub brewing. He knew his brand was destined to develop beyond the confines of a restaurant that just happened to make beer. Rather, he wanted to build his brand to compliment the culture and the lifestyles of the people of Eugene.

“Just like Deschutes Brewing is to Bend, or Rogue is to Newport, and Full Sail is to Hood River, we wanted to be the brewer for Eugene,” Floyd said. “It was always our intention for Ninkasi to grow and that’s why we started operating strictly as a brewer and not as a brewpub that acts like a restaurant. That way, we can eliminate all the excess overhead and just stick to the brewing.”

During its first year of existence in 2006, Ninkasi produced 1,600 barrels of Total Domination IPA, sold its first beer at the Oregon Country Fair and appeared simultaneously in some of Eugene’s most popular bars including Starlight, Tiny Tavern, Sam Bond’s, Luckey’s, The Bier Stein, Horsehead, and Max’s Tavern. Success came quickly for Floyd and Ninkasi, but it did not come overnight.

“When you work in the service industry as long as I had, you get to meet a lot of other people in the field,” Floyd said.

Floyd started home brewing in 1990 and later started working as a brewer for Steelhead Brewery on Fifth Street. Seven of his years there were spent as the head brewer.

“My goal was always to become the village brewer of my town, but it takes a lot of years of experience to generate a résumé and reputation to convince people to support what I’m doing and work with me.”

Ninkasi’s growth in the last few years is unprecedented, with no Eugene brewery in this or any previous decade rising to such quick heights. It is made more impressive by the fact it comes amidst the current recession that continues to raise unemployment rates and threatens to close business doors every day.

“People drink beer whether times are good or bad. They’ll always buy themselves a nice beer from time to time,” Floyd said.

Ninkasi Brewing moved into a 14,000-square-foot former plumbing store in July of 2007, tripling the brewing capacity of the basement of Sophia’s. The new location on Van Buren Street sits right in the heart the Whiteaker neighborhood, where innumerable bars including Sam Bond’s and Tiny Tavern serve their beers. Ninkasi now uses a 30-barrel brewing system with the new space, doubling its beer output from 30 kegs at a time to 60 kegs. Last year Ninkasi produced 7,000 barrels, equaling 14,000 kegs of beer.

As the brewery has grown, so too has its contributions to the people of Eugene. It has supported various nonprofits and sponsored all
types of local arts from music events, bands, theaters, and festivals.

“Ninkasi has always invested itself in the culture of Eugene. We’re a part of this community and we want to support it in any way we can. We’ve definitely got a lot of response from people who appreciate what we do for Eugene,” Floyd said.

Prominent Eugene bands Medium Troy, Volifonix, and Just People have all played benefit shows put on in part by Ninkasi, and praise the brewery for its considerable contributions to local music.

“Their dedication to local bands is a refreshing example of how the Eugene community is a truly beautiful place to be a musician,” Just People front-man Scott Gilmore said. “Not only do they help Eugene musicians, but they have created a symbiotic relationship that benefits the bands and also builds the brand identity of the Ninkasi Brewery.”

Establishing the staying power

Ninkasi recently passed Rogue Ales to become the sixth-largest distributer in the region, Ninkasi Sales Distribution Manager Troy Potter said. The company is planning to construct a third floor to the building to increase its brewing capacity.

Ninkasi has cemented itself as the flagship beer of Eugene and is representing the city from as far north as Bellingham, Wash., and as far south as Ashland. Even in the face of economic depression, Floyd has no plans of stopping.

“I don’t know why anyone with a growth model would want to pull back or stand still,” Floyd said. “We definitely have plans to start distributing in California. We could even sell in New York and Manhattan if we wanted. We know some people there and we’d love to give the people in New York some good beer to drink that comes from the West Coast.”

Floyd said the five-year business plan he had for Ninkasi was attained within the first three years, and he plans to maintain this progress through the next decade with a goal of obtaining the local staying power of establishments like Jiffy Market.

“We want to continue that pace by having our seven-to-eight year plan happen in four, and our ten-year plan happen in five, turning our long-term goals into the short-term. And from there we want to continue supporting the community by working with more nonprofits and sponsoring more events.”

Jiffy Market, meanwhile, has more modest plans for the future. “We’re staying put, doing what we always do,” Robertson said. “But I think we’re going to put a roof over the deck [eating area]. It can get really hot out there.”