05-03-2025
Beloved Pierce County market set to reopen, two months after owner said he'd sell it
Red Barn Market & Nursery will open its doors again in a few weeks — two months after the owner temporarily closed the business and listed it for sale.
Dennis Kupchenko wrote in a Facebook post on Saturday that the business at 14407 94th Ave. E. near Puyallup will reopen on March 20.
'After being closed for two months and seeing the first signs of spring, I can't tell you how excited I am to reopen for the season!' Kupchenko wrote.
Kupchenko previously posted that he would list the barn for sale on Jan. 1. Two months later, he still hasn't sold it.
'Any sale has to do more than just change hands — it has to preserve and elevate the heart of what we've built together,' Kupchenko wrote. 'A couple of buyers remain seriously interested and are continuously pursuing this endeavor, and if the right opportunity comes along, it could take the barn to a whole new level. But no matter what, Red Barn Market will be opening bigger and better than ever this season.'
Kupchenko took over the store when he was 19 years old in 2018, The News Tribune reported at the time. In 2021, the community rallied behind him and donated $20,000 after burglars broke in and caused about $10,000 in damage.
He first announced on Facebook on Dec. 19 that he was going to sell the barn, saying that while he was grateful for customers who allowed him to 'live the American Dream,' he is now 27 and looking toward the next chapter of his life.
Two months after listing the barn for sale, Kupchenko wrote Saturday that he is still committed to making sure the market has its best years ahead — whether that means him running it the way he has for the past seven years, or working with new owners down the line.
'One thing remains unchanged: my commitment to this community and to keeping the barn a place for everyone,' Kupchenko wrote.
