One more place to enjoy near Medford in Oregon
The Harry and David Country Village serves as the flagship retail destination for one of America’s most iconic gourmet food brands, located in the heart of the Rogue Valley in Medford, Oregon. Founded in 1934 by brothers Harry and David Rosenberg, the company grew from a simple mail-order pear business into a nationally recognized name synonymous with Royal Riviera Pears and elegantly packaged gift towers. The Country Village store anchors the visitor experience and serves as the launch point for factory tours that reveal the artistry behind decades of culinary tradition.
History and culture run deep at the Harry and David Country Village, with the Rosenberg family having cultivated pears in southern Oregon as early as 1910. It was the Great Depression that catalyzed the creation of Harry and David when the brothers took a gamble on selling their prized Royal Riviera Pears through the mail. The gamble paid off, and by the mid-20th century the company had become one of the oldest and largest mail-order companies in the United States. The orchard division, known as Bear Creek Orchards, manages more than 2,500 acres of pears and peaches across the Rogue Valley, preserving the region’s agricultural heritage.
What you will see at the Country Village begins with the flagship store itself, occupying a prominent location on Center Drive in Medford. Inside, visitors find an expansive retail environment stocked with the full catalog of Harry and David products, from fresh Royal Riviera Pears to towers of gourmet gift baskets and an array of bakery treats, chocolate truffles, and cheesecakes. The production facilities span a 55-acre campus where much of the handcrafted food is produced. On the factory tour, visitors walk catwalks above the factory floor and observe the bakery, the candy kitchen, and the gift-packing lines where teams hand-assemble elaborate towers and baskets.
What to do at the Country Village centers on the guided factory tour, which runs approximately 60 minutes and begins at the flagship store before a shuttle bus transports guests to the production campus. Engaging guides share the company’s history while visitors watch chocolatiers create silky-smooth truffles and observe baklava being assembled by hand. The retail space includes a sampling area where guests can taste chocolates and cookies fresh from the production lines. The store also features exclusive products and seasonal specials not always available through the mail-order catalog.
When to visit varies by what you want to experience. Summer is the most popular season for tours, with warm weather and fully stocked sampling stations in the store. Late August through October offers a unique window for visitors interested in the agricultural side of the operation, as this is when the Royal Riviera Pears are harvested and packed for shipment. The late fall period showcases the factory at its busiest, with roughly 60 percent of annual business occurring during the Christmas season. Spring and winter are quieter, offering a more relaxed tour experience with shorter lines and fewer crowds.