Our Story

Dorothy Lane Market, like many American food stores, began as a fruit stand. In 1948 founder Calvin Mayne began selling quality fruits and vegetables in the south Dayton, Ohio area at the corner of Far Hills Avenue and Dorothy Lane (hence the name of the market, or DLM for short). Calvin loved good food, and wanted his customers to enjoy the same. Fast forward to today, and Dorothy Lane Market is a company of three well-known gourmet supermarkets, recognized for great food and service in national publications including The Wall Street Journal, Fast Company, and Gourmet Retailer. More importantly, our customers know they will have a great food experience every time they come to our stores! For over fifty years, the passion for eating well has not only remained a constant at Dorothy Lane Market, it continues to grow.

We believe there are few things in life as pleasurable as enjoying good food, be it tearing off a piece of aromatic crusty bread, drizzling a peppery olive oil over fresh greens, or sinking your teeth into a piece of flavorful cheese. If you have ever visited us, or shop in our stores now, you know what good things await you at Dorothy Lane Market. How do we do it? For one thing, we’ve been living it for over 50 years. We’ve also traveled to Europe, Asia, Australia, and all over the United States, eating and finding ways to bring you some of the same great eating experiences we’ve had. We partner with and learn from food artisans and others passionate about food. Simply put, at DLM, we love good food; and we want to share the experience with you.