Grocer exits bankruptcy

C&K Market, which operates Ray’s Food Place and other grocery stores in Oregon and California, is emerging from bankruptcy protection following a judge’s order, the company announced Tuesday.

The order, signed by U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Frank Alley and filed Monday, allows the company to operate without court supervision.

C&K Market filed for protection from creditors under Chapter 11 in November and closed or sold 16 stores, including Ray’s Food Place stores in Bend and Redmond. The court allowed C&K to terminate store leases in both cities.

A C&K spokesperson said the company had no information on the two former stores. However, Compass Commercial Real Estate services has the former Bend store on SW Century Drive listed for lease. Information about the former Redmond store on SW 23rd Street was not available.

When it entered bankruptcy, the company owned about 60 stores in Oregon and Northern California. They operated under the names Ray’s Food Place, Shop Smart Food Warehouse, C&K Market and Lo Bucks. Ray’s stores in La Pine, Sisters and Prineville, along with the Shop Smart store in La Pine, remain open, according to the company.

A month before it filed bankruptcy, C&K announced the sale of its 15 pharmacies, which operated in Bend and Redmond as Pharmacy Express.

— From staff reports