DOWNTOWN DINING
Market offers farm-to-table focus
In a town better known for college staples and bar food, Ollie’s Market is carving out a different niche — one rooted in local sourcing, accessibility and a reimagined approach to healthy eating.
Co-owners Eli Zablosky and Natalie Zablosky opened Ollie’s Market, 306 N. Edward Gary St., last summer after living in New Mexico, bringing with them a fresh perspective on food systems shaped by direct relationships with farmers and suppliers.
“We were working a lot more closely with food suppliers,” Eli said. “It really set the bar for us in terms of where we like to eat, where we like to spend our money, and how we prepared food.”
The couple, now new parents, quickly noticed a gap in their hometown’s food landscape. With the help of the San Marcos community, a grassroots GoFundMe me was launched in 2025, allowing the two to bring a locally focused market to the area.
“The first thing we were like — where are we going to eat?” Eli said. “San Marcos isn’t really known right now for ... nutrient- dense menu items.”
Ollie’s Market aims to fill that gap by offering organic, locally sourced food without the high price tag often associated with it. Natalie said affordability is central to their mission.
“We try to stay under H-E-B’s pricing so it’s more accessible,” she said. “We just want healthy foods accessible for everyone.”
Rather than marketing themselves strictly as a health-focused business, the owners take a more subtle approach — blending the familiarity of comfort food with higher- quality ingredients.
“We’re not trying to present so much healthy food because then people get scared away,” Eli said. “They think it’s going to be expensive and not taste like anything.”
Instead, the menu features items like sandwiches made with locally baked sourdough focaccia, fresh produce and carefully sourced meats — foods that look familiar but offer a different experience.
“They still have the satisfaction of indulging in something comforting,” Natalie said. “But they don’t feel bad after. So, it’s all comfort and no pain.”
The market avoids seed oils and uses entirely organic ingredients, sourcing as much as possible from local farms and their own garden. Eli noted that many of their suppliers have deep roots in the community.
“We purchase from farmers that have been in San Marcos for like 30 years,” he said. “We purchase from student-led Bobcat Farms.”
That emphasis on proximity extends to their meat sourcing, where transparency is part of the appeal.
“Our beef — the customer is the fourth person to touch it,” Natalie said. “It’s all from the same animal, so it’s not a bunch of random animals mixed together.”
Eli added that cutting out long supply chains improves both freshness and trust.
“We know the ranchers, we know the processors, we do the transportation for it, and then the customer receives it,” he said.
Beyond food quality, location also plays a key role in their business model. Situated downtown, Ollie’s Market is designed to be accessible to both students and families—two groups Eli identified as essential for sustaining a business in San Marcos.
“You really have to have both in this town to make it work,” he said.
The couple has already observed shifting trends among younger residents, including the rise of social fitness groups and a growing interest in wellness.
“There’s run clubs here now,” Eli said. “It’s a very social, hip thing.”
Ollie’s Market positions itself at the intersection of those trends, offering a place where community members can gather while also making more intentional food choices.
“Even if someone can’t make it to a farmer’s market or go to Austin, we wanted something in town,” Eli said. “That’s one less barrier to entry.”
For Eli and Natalie, the goal is not just to introduce a new grocery and dining experience but to reshape expectations around what accessible, everyday food can look like in San Marcos.
“People come in and start doing the math,” Eli said. “They realize they can get more for their money here—and it’s better quality.”
As the business grows, the couple plans to expand their garden and continue strengthening relationships with local producers, keeping their focus on freshness, transparency and community at the center of their operation.
For more information, visit their Instagram @olliesgoods.
