Beloved Pierce County Market changes hands. Meet the 30-person family running it
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Red Barn Market reopens under new ownership by Kimberly Charlton and family.
- Charlton plans to extend operations year-round and retain community focus.
- Former owner Dennis Kupchenko exits after six years building local legacy.
A beloved Puyallup business is starting a new chapter this week.
Red Barn Market & Nursery – located at 14407 94th Ave. E. near Puyallup – is celebrating its grand “reopening” this Saturday under its new owner, Kimberly Charlton. The current owner and founder, Dennis Kupchenko, wraps up his last season at Red Barn on Friday.
“On paper, I’m the only owner but a number of the family will be working at the barn, so I consider it a family business,” Charlton said. “We’re pretty excited about it. We’ve been customers at Red Barn for years, so when we saw Dennis’ post that he was ready to move onto the next chapter of his life and he was putting it up for sale, we were thinking this would be so perfect for us.”
Charlton is currently the digital sales manager for Essilor USA, an eye care company. She has seven children and 23 grandchildren – all of them planning to play a part in the business. One of her daughters will be in charge of Red Barn’s social media, while everyone else will have jobs ranging from placing orders to stocking shelves.
“We are just really excited to step into something that has such a strong sense of community,” Charlton said. “Our vision is not to change it, our vision is to expand on it – not necessarily, like, the footprint of it, but more just to continue to build that sense of community and what we can do to strengthen those ties.”
Kupchenko has historically closed the business during the winter, but Charlton said one of the changes she and her family will bring is keeping it open year-round.
“People still need vegetables and fruit in the winter months, so we’re going to keep it year-round,” Charlton said.
Charlton is excited to create a new chapter in Red Barn’s history.
“We know we have some really big shoes to fill – [Dennis’] personality and his love for the community. But I think people shop there because they love local, high-quality produce and nursery items at a good price,” Charlton said. “We just want to continue the legacy that has been built there over decades.”
How did Red Barn start?
In 2018, Kupchenko took over the store when he was just 19 years old. After six years of building a business that would become a community favorite, he announced he would be selling Red Barn on Dec. 19, 2024.
“Because of you, I’ve been able to live the American Dream,” Kupchenko wrote in a Dec. 19 social media post. “You gave me the chance to grow this business, to live in a home I’m proud of, to pay my bills, and to build a future I never thought possible. But more than that, you gave me purpose.”
Kupchenko officially listed Red Barn for sale on Jan. 1.
“After months of searching for the right people to carry on everything we’ve built together, I’ve found them. A family with the same passion, heart and dedication to the community that has made Red Barn so special,” Kupchenko wrote in a March 13 social media post. “This isn’t just a business to them — it’s a dream. They are committed to keeping Red Barn a place where families gather, traditions grow, and community thrives.”
The News Tribune archives contributed to this report.
