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Oasis Fresh Foods Market in Indian Head is more than a standard grocery store; it’s an indicator of the town’s transformative growth. On October 25, 2024, the market will celebrate its grand opening and mark an official end to the Town of Indian Head’s two-decades-long standing as a food desert.
The inspiration for a market came when Marilyn and Mark Steele of Bolans-Darby Partners and owners of Clarity Coffee House and Pentagon Suites identified the lack of accessible food options within the Indian Head community. “The need for a grocery store became unabashedly clear based on what we’d heard and seen from our other businesses,” shared Marilyn Steele. “We thought, ‘If we can help, let's do our best to contribute.’”
Pulling together insights from the project’s Advisory Council (a group of nine experienced local leaders) and inspired by the residents of Indian Head, the market's design keeps community at its core. The grocery store features a variety of fresh produce, seafood, meat, locally made products, and pantry and freezer staples. A community garden allows shoppers to grow their produce and strengthen their connection to local food sources. Next door, Oasis’s sister company, Papaleo’s Ice Cream shop, will transform the routine shopping errand into a family-friendly experience and add greater value for the community. Both the community garden and ice cream shop are expected to open in spring 2025.
"Marilyn and Mark chose the perfect name for the store, Oasis," said Michelle Frye, Deputy Director of Charles County Economic Development and a member of Oasis's advisory council. "Since the late 90s, residents here have had to leave the community for groceries. From the start, Oasis Fresh Foods Market has created an opportunity to strengthen and transform the local community and tackle food insecurity in the Town of Indian Head by offering local access to fresh produce, meats, and pantry staples."
“Oasis Fresh Foods Market gives people options where they had very few before,” Steele remarks. “At our size, we can’t be the end-all-be-all for everyone when it comes to product options, but our offerings are fresh, local, and accessible—giving people at least a fighting chance to feed their families well.”
The market prioritizes supplying products from over a dozen local vendors in Charles County and Maryland, including Next Step Produce, Rootbound Farms, BeYOUtifully Favored, BoonDoggie Farm, Chesapeake Bay Coffee Roasters, and more.
“The difference between Oasis Fresh Foods Market, an independent grocer, and chain grocers is that every dollar spent here stays in Charles County, and helps our community become more sustainable and resilient,” said Steele.
With help from the EDD, the project identified state and federal funding opportunities and received recommendation letters from the EDD office for their applications.
“Charles County Economic Development Department has been an amazingly strong partner for us,” shared Steele. “They understood from day one what it meant to end the food desert designation in Indian Head and never wavered in their support for this project.” She continued,
“The team kept us informed about any grant or loan opportunities coming down the line that could apply to our project. Anything that we needed that was within their power, they provided,” said Steele.
“The EDD also helped us find tax relief resources for businesses that revitalize existing buildings for economic use. When you renovate a building, its tax base will go up substantially, and if you're not prepared for that, that can jeopardize your business,” shared Steele. “The fact that the EDD was willing to help us obtain that tax credit shows how they want our business to succeed here.”
The project secured $2.1 million in low-cost state funding from the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development and approximately $1 million from various state grants. Marilyn and Mark Steele personally guaranteed the state loan and contributed substantial additional funding, bringing the total building costs to approximately $5 million.
Construction began on the 6,000-square-foot market in September 2023 and officially concluded in September 2024.
“It took a village to make this market happen,” emphasizes Steele. “As owners, we’re at the tip of the spear, leading and stepping into the fray, but without support from other organizations, businesses, local churches, and our community members and neighbors, the vision wouldn’t have been possible.”
Prior to its public opening, Maryland Governor Wes Moore visited Oasis Fresh Foods Market, along with Charles County Commissioners, the EDD team, and other local leaders to tour the renovations. “The Governor’s visit was important in spotlighting food scarcity,” notes Steele. “The issue needs to gain more attention so we can keep focus on creating the right combination of solutions that ensure Charles County never has a food desert designation again.”
The official grand opening on October 25 will feature giveaways, contests, a live DJ and band, and vendor samples from a variety of small businesses in Charles County and Maryland, such as Cottage Sweets by Sue, County Manners, and Mediterranean Basil Salts.
As the community celebrates the opening of Oasis Fresh Foods Market, they also celebrate accessible, healthy options for the community and a new pillar for the region's local economy and agricultural heritage.
The Oasis Fresh Foods Market is just one of many new developments in Charles County. Click here to read more about Indian Head’s modernization plan.
