Alameda Business Spotlight: Dan's Fresh Produce

Dan Avakian has come full circle. What began as an after-school job when he was a gangly 15-year-old Alameda High School student set the course for Avakian's life work, professional expertise and unique place in his home town.

In the summer of 1976, Avakian got a job sweeping floors at an open-air produce market that had just opened in a renovated gas station on the corner of Oak and Central.

Thirty 30 years later, in 2006, Avakian bought the market and now runs it with his wife Megan in its current incarnation as Dan’s Fresh Produce.

Even back in 1976, says Avakian, demand was high in Alameda for fresh fruits and vegetables.

“The store opened at 10 a.m., and by 9 every morning, folks were lined up along the street, waiting to come in,” he remembers. “Sure, there were grocery stores nearby, but there was nobody providing produce like we were.”

After a few months of cleaning up and taking out the trash, Avakian convinced the owner, Frank Marchi, to teach him more about the business. A loud and gruff man (“with a huge heart,” testifies Avakian), Marchi ran his market in the “old school” way, always respecting the farmers and growers and giving them a good return on their fruit and vegetables, but never accepting or selling inferior quality produce.

Avakian was a quick study, and within a short time Marchi entrusted him to handle much of the business and operations. No doubt Avakian's hearty laugh and easy smile were customer pleasers. 

Avakian worked at Marchi’s until 1985, when he left and held a series of jobs in the produce industry, working in distribution and quality assurance for companies that included Andronico's, Fry's, Sysco Food Industries and Webvan.

Meanwhile, Frank Marchi retired to Hawaii, and others had turns operating the market until Avakian took over. Now an Alameda landmark, Dan’s is committed to providing local produce whenever possible, to satisfiy the demands of today's health-conscious and locally minded shoppers. Dan's customers can sign up for weekly produce box.

For those who need it, Dan’s provides home delivery of produce and groceries. This is a welcome service for some of Alameda’s elderly residents. “Often, the adult kids live somewhere else, and they’ll call me and ask if I can take food to their mom or dad who can’t get out of the house,” Avakian explains. “And I say, 'Absolutely.' I’m happy to.” 

In order to provide the best and freshest local produce for his customers, Avakian gets up at 4 a.m. and drives to surrounding farms to buy directly from growers. Fruits and vegetables often arrive at his market within 24 hours of picking. The produce he sells, Avakian likes to say, “is so fresh, it doesn’t even know it’s not still on the stalk!”

Dan's Fresh Produce is located at 2300 Central Ave. It's open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Sunday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. The phone number is 523-1777.