Today we’d like to introduce you to Bart Yablonsky.
Hi Bart, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Bart is from Baltimore and began his love of great food as a teen by taking trips to DC with his father to sample the latest and greatest new restaurants. He attended college in New Orleans and continued to develop his interest there. Bart has worked in natural food store leadership in both metro DC and Atlanta. As a small business owner his interests expanded to wellness and green business design owning all-natural Day Spas in Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC. Bart opened Dawson’s in 2012 as the General Manager. He has many years of experience in food and a passion for the environment, community, and a healthy lifestyle.
In October of 2018 Dawson’s Market closed under previous ownership. Just 7 short weeks later Bart reopenned Dawson’s on December 15th 2018, bringing all the things Rockville loved back to life. In 2024 after renewing their lease for the Rockville location Dawson’s faced another obstacle. The landlord had decided to remove Dawson’s to make way for a national chain store. Trader Joes would open in 2025 in the Dawson’s space. Around the same time Dawson’s had been awarded a contract from The University of Maryland to operate the foodservice and catering operations at the Universities at Shady Grove Campus, just a few minutes from their original location.
Today, Dawson’s operates the cafeteria at the University of Maryland Shady Grove and offers catering services throughout Maryland and Washington, DC. Our commitment to all-natural ingredients, support for local producers, and ability to meet diverse dietary needs—including Vegan, Vegetarian, and Gluten-Free options—remains at the heart of everything we do.
Bart is married to Paige who he met through one of his natural food customers, they have a wonderful son and enjoy traveling and finding the best new places to eat.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Over the years, we’ve had to pivot more than once. Our first business was in the spa industry, and surviving the 2008–2010 housing crisis was especially challenging for a luxury-focused business. In 2012, I transitioned back into food and joined Dawson’s Market.
In 2018, Dawson’s previous owner — who had also been my boss — closed the store. I worked closely with the city, county, and community to reopen it in less than seven weeks. It was a massive undertaking, but well worth it, and it would not have been possible without the trust and support I had built over the years as the store’s general manager.
Then came COVID. Ironically, it was a strong period for the grocery industry, and we’re proud to say we never ran out of toilet paper. At the time, however, we had no online shopping platform, so I spent an entire weekend in March building our online store. In less than a month, online sales grew from zero to more than 30% of total sales, and overall store sales doubled during the first few months of lockdown. My wife even became our truck driver, making runs to local warehouses to pick up products when we couldn’t wait for regular deliveries.
Then in 2024, our new landlord decided they could receive higher rent from Trader Joe’s and terminated our new five-year lease just 90 days after it began. Once again, we pivoted — this time by expanding a contract we had previously won to become the exclusive caterer and food service provider for the Universities at Shady Grove. Fortunately, our kitchen is only five minutes from our original location, allowing many of our longtime customers to continue enjoying their favorite deli and prepared foods.
Today, the current version of Dawson’s is thriving. We have successfully adapted into a much larger and more robust catering operation and now provide catering services throughout Maryland, Washington, DC, and Northern Virginia for events of all sizes.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Dawson’s Market was founded with the belief that food should bring together health, community, and hospitality. Since opening in 2012 in Rockville, we’ve focused on offering high-quality natural, organic, and locally sourced foods while creating a true neighborhood market experience. Over the years, the business has evolved, but our core mission has stayed the same: to serve our community with integrity, warmth, and exceptional food.
Today, Dawson’s has grown into a full-service catering and food service company serving clients throughout Maryland, Washington, and Northern Virginia. We specialize in fresh, chef-prepared foods, corporate catering, university dining, special events, and customized menus that balance great flavor with healthier ingredients. Whether it’s an executive breakfast, a university program, or a large-scale catered event, we aim to provide restaurant-quality food with the reliability and hospitality of a local business that truly cares.
What sets Dawson’s apart is our ability to adapt while staying deeply connected to the community. We’ve overcome major challenges — from economic downturns to the pandemic and even losing our retail lease — by continuing to innovate and by earning the trust of our customers, employees, and local partners. That resilience has become part of our identity.
We are especially proud of the relationships we’ve built over the years. Many of our customers have been with us since the beginning, and that loyalty means everything to us. We’re also proud that we’ve been able to grow from a neighborhood grocery market into a thriving regional catering operation without losing the personal touch that made people love Dawson’s in the first place.
More than anything, we want people to know that Dawson’s is not just a business — it’s a community-driven brand built on perseverance, hospitality, and a genuine passion for good food.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
I don’t believe in luck; everything has a cause and a reason. We have had challenges which you could say was bad luck, but we have also survived, and that is from our relationships, perseverance, and the fact that we have hired good quality people. Our community has had a huge impact on who we are, and that comes from our commitment to them, not luck.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.dawsonsmarket.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dawsonsmarket/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DawsonsMarket/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@DawsonsMarket?app=desktop
- Yelp: https://www.instagram.com/dawsonsmarket/
