Business Spotlight on Medford

For the most part, Medford’s economy is driven by the healthcare industry, as the area functions as a regional hub for medical services. Medford is the only city of its size for several hours, which is why most residents of the metro area seek healthcare services in the city. Two of the city’s biggest employers, Medford’s medical centers have over 2,000 employees. Medford also serves as the headquarters for several major corporations as well as a satellite location for many other respected companies. In this post, we’ll spotlight these Medford-based companies by providing you with background on what they do and how they contribute to the local economy.

Company #1: Harry & David

The United States’ largest direct marketer of fruit and food gifts, Harry & David got its start in 1910 marketing the harvest from the Rogue Valley orchards. The company is the largest employer in Southern Oregon, with 1,700 year-round employees and 6,700 seasonal employees in the Medford metro area. Known for its quality and customer service, Harry & David is one of the oldest mail-order catalog companies in the U.S. In an attempt to become more eco-friendly, Harry & David successfully encouraged many of its catalog customers to use its website instead, thus eliminating 37 million catalogs. Harry & David’s contact information is included below.

Harry & David Corporation
2500 S Pacific Hwy
Medford, OR 97501-2675
1-877-322-1200

Company #2: Musician’s Friend

The largest direct response retailer of musical instruments and gear in the world, Musician’s Friend also has its headquarters in Medford. The company was founded in 1983 in San Diego and eventually relocated to a dairy barn in Southern Oregon. The corporation enjoyed a meteoric rise to the top of the industry and was soon purchased by Guitar Center for $50 million in 1999. Guitar Center maintains the company as a wholly owned, independent subsidiary. Musician’s Friend carved itself a niche, especially in the online music gear market, by offering an unbeatable 45-day-money-back guarantee and free shipping on most orders over $99. Between its mail-order catalogs and website, Musician’s Friend offers over 36,000 products. The company’s contact information is included below.

Musician’s Friend
PO BOX 4370
Medford, OR 97501-0168

Small but Notable

Though the companies discussed in this section are not headquartered in Medford, they do have offices in the area and are noteworthy for other reasons. For example, the U.S. Cellular call center in Medford was ranked the #1 place to work in Oregon for companies with 250 or more employees. Similarly, among companies with fewer than 250 employees, the United Risk Solutions Medford office was named the #2 place to work in Oregon. United Risk Solutions’ Medford contact information is listed below.

United Risk Solutions Inc.
839 Alder Creek Dr
Medford, OR 97504
541-245-1111