Santiam Market & Deli

08/31/2026

Same goes for the store!

☀️ Happy Monday, Happy First Day of School & SOON-TO-BE Happy Parking Lot! 🎉☕️

We’re excited to give our parking lot a much-needed refresh! Over the next couple of days, please slow down and be cautious around the cones and work area.

The good news… WE’RE STILL OPEN!

Come grab your coffee, navigate the cone obstacle course, and start your week with us! 😂☕️

Thanks for your patience while we make things a little prettier around here! 🛠️✨

08/30/2026

This was too cute not to capture. Sharing since you caught me 🤣 in case you’d like it too! Thanks for laugh at/with me!

08/20/2026

Let me take you on a journey of us and why we give chances and help where we’re able.

Some seem to think Gunaji comes from money. He does not but, yet if someone needs food or help he will make sure they are fed. Whether it be some deli food, food we’ve made at home or whatever.

Why?

When he was young his family thought he would have a “better” life if they sent him to a big city (Mumbai). In the village, where they still live and farm (pictured here) they still even wash clothes by hand with a rock, have intermittent electricity, sleep on the ground, even farm without much equipment (this is hand cut, then pulled about a mile by the cousins pictured to feed the cows, goats etc).

Unfortunately, in the big city he was treated poorly and hardly had food. One time he won a bag of rice at school and where he was staying took it from him. Usually he’d even be forced to sleep by the front door outside too. He wasn’t even given shoes, or clothes.

He never said anything because he didn’t want his parents to feel bad because they thought they were giving him a better life with a better education.

He went on to go to a University in China and does hold a degree as a doctor. That’s where we met. When we met he had exactly 1 pair of pants and 2 shirts. He basically lived on potatoes and what could be scraped together. He fixed electronics to earn money while there.

From the moment we met there was no compromising food. I didn’t know why at the time but always thought it was interesting. Even though I was fully capable of fending for myself if I was hungry he’d make sure I got whatever I wanted.

That continued in life and is why we do a lot of what we do quietly. Whether it be taking past date food to homeless camps (which we did A LOT of during the pandemic.. vendors actually brought us stuff they couldn’t return so I could take it to people) or just making sure if someone is hungry, even if they don’t have money, they eat something.

So if sometimes the way we do things, the chances we give etc doesn’t make sense… there is a reason and while the hurt that comes from those chances when they’re taken advantage of sucks. We will continue on and won’t stop caring about people ❤️.

08/17/2026

Over the years we’ve been lucky to only have some petty theft. Usually by employees and not even that much from customers. So thank you all for that.

We’ve always just quietly handled it in house. Yes, we’ve taken some losses. We’ve also never particularly understood theft from us in general as whenever any staff has needed it we’ve done draws, personal loans, etc. which really makes this next bit more disheartening. When theft happens it’s not something insurance covers (we’ve been told it’s because employee theft is so common 😑) you’re literally just taking from our family and honest employees.

If you saw the police activity Friday morning it’s because we had such egregious theft from several employees we absolutely needed to call it in this time. To the point felony charges will be brought as we have enough video footage just from 4 days alone.

Thank you, as usual to our Jefferson PD who showed up, waited, watched and confirmed.

We may be feeling discouraged but, we’re still here and ultimately we know we’ll make it through because WE work hard on the daily for what we have❤️

08/10/2026

If you haven’t been in recently…

- Claw machine ✅ what do you want to see in the other? Special right now and plan to change it up.. win a ball and turn it in for a free fountain drink.

-working ATM!

-Beer cooler was down for a day but with a lot of work by Gunaji Kolekar & Jantsen it’s been back up.

- Dippin' Dots 🤤

- The Lovin Oven cakes as usual. Almost the end of strawberry so get it while you can!

- Store was reset this last week by Harbor Wholesale with tags etc. some have mentioned about things not being priced but, we were told they aren’t putting prices on the tags because of how often prices are fluctuating still 😑.

-AC should be fully functional this week! This old building needs more love with a remodel passed, permitted and planned for this winter but for now duct work should be hooked to new unit 🤞🏼🤞🏼.

We appreciate you all sticking with us ❤️.

07/05/2026

About last night- honest post.

I had been up for almost 24 hours. IYKYK and for some who were there you saw.. mission successful. What many don’t know is we’re often quietly doing something volunteer based, that may cost us money or time but, for those that know the kind of community work we do.. you know it’s worth it ❤️.

I was alerted to a situation around 8pm, that was out of our control in our parking lot. We assumed it would be wrapped up by 10. Unfortunately it wasn’t and we personally respect our LE.

During the chaos of what was going on, people waiting, me having just gotten back into town, etc etc

A woman related to the incident going on charged up on me and said “why do you even need to celebrate?! You’re married to HIM! *gesturing at Gunaji”

My response was short.. “because we’re US citizens” I had too much I was trying to deal with including the help of our other friends like Kim who answered and said we could run a hose from Tommy’s.

Honestly though… we could have just said oh.. never mind.. we can’t do what we had planned for everyone. We could have driven the mile down the highway to home and gone to sleep.

However, we’re NOT that kind of people so, we quickly pivoted and did our show from our gravel lot.

Gunaji has heard a lot over the years such as being told to “go back to his country”, “sand n*gger” (which obviously isn’t even the correct slur for him), so on and so fourth. All of this has happened in this community and at the store.

Yet, we pay employees on payroll, taxes, mortgages, donate, give back to the community (the list could go on), live a mile away AND he’s been a US CITIZEN since he was able 9 years ago and could probably beat most in US history quizzes from the amount he studied 🤣.

All of this ramble to say… despite to hardships of last night and daily.. we’re still standing and will also stand, fight and continue to be here for OUR community.

Much love all 💜

06/30/2026

4th of July is coming up and IYKYK.

This year has been rough but, the show will go on. Some have asked so I said I’d post our Venmo if anyone would like to pitch toward the show! 🎆

06/27/2026

Jefferson Heroes Day Oregon

06/27/2026

Thanks for coming to Jefferson Heroes Day Oregon day all! If some of our customers want a laugh… we got the opportunity to put Jimmie Walling to work in the parking lot again 🤷🏼‍♀️🤦🏼‍♀️🤣.

06/26/2026

Look what’s in the works! We’re so excited 😍

I recently designed and plan to paint this mural in Jefferson Oregon. It will be about 50’ long and I may be starting it as soon a September - depending on certain circumstances. Otherwise not until next Spring.

I met with the Chamber committee there this afternoon, to deliver the original rendition and discuss further details. More info at a future date.