On warm days in Maryville, Amburn’s Market feels less like a stop on an errand list and more like a pause in the middle of town. Baskets of produce line the space, conversations unfold between aisles, and the steady rhythm of locals coming and going speaks to something deeper than groceries. For generations, Amburn’s has been a place where goods and community meet.
The story of Amburn’s Market began in 1952, when Virgil Amburn sold fruit from the trunk of his car. What started as a small operation slowly grew into multiple storefronts, expanding as the community responded to the need for fresh, local produce. Over time, Amburn’s became a familiar name in Maryville, tied closely to the farmers who supplied it and the families who shopped there. According to Whitney Amburn, the growth happened gradually.
“It really just started with fruit out of the back of a car,” she said. “Little by little, it grew from there.”
Like many longtime local businesses, Amburn’s experienced a period of change. After Jason Amburn’s brother retired, the market closed for a time, leaving the building sitting quietly in downtown Maryville.
“We just kept seeing it here, sitting empty. That’s when it kind of sparked something in us to bring it back,” Whitney said.
Both Jason and Whitney felt compelled to bring the market back as a service to the community that had supported it for decades.
When Amburn’s reopened, its mission remained rooted in supporting local farmers. Today, the market works with at least 20 local farmers year-round, offering fresh fruits, vegetables, eggs and other goods sourced close to home. While the number of farmers shifts with the seasons, the commitment to local partnerships has stayed the same.
Over the years, the market has grown in size and reach, welcoming more vendors and expanding what it offers. Still, Whitney says the heart of Amburn’s has not changed.
“We’ve grown a lot,” she said, “but what hasn’t changed is our focus on serving the community and supporting local people.”
The goal for the Amburn family has always been to serve the community and give people a place where they feel welcome and supported.
That sense of care is what sets Amburn’s Market apart. It is not just about what is sold, but about the relationships built along the way, between farmers and customers, neighbors and families, past and present.
“We want people to feel welcome when they walk through the doors. We love our community, and we want to support it in any way we can,” Whitney said.
Each visit to Amburn’s carries a quiet reminder that local businesses thrive when communities choose to show up for them.
More than 70 years after its beginnings, Amburn’s Market continues to stand as proof that something small, when nurtured by a community, can last. In every basket of produce and every familiar face, the market reflects Maryville’s ongoing commitment to supporting what is local, meaningful and shared.
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