Gulfport Produce's New Owners Jumping Right In

If you need a fresh ear of corn, in-season fruit or organic leafy greens, Gulfport Produce is your locally owned one-stop shop.

The produce stand has been offering locally grown fruits, veggies and herbs on Gulfport Boulevard for years. While new owners Felana and Ryan Bernat don't plan on making major changes, they're hoping to spruce up the stand with their enthusiasm and passion for produce.

"We're excited. Tried of working for the man," Felana says with a chuckle.

Just six months ago the Bernats, originally from Florida, scanned the Internet from their home in Pennsylvania. They were looking for a place to live when Ryan took a glance at commercial properties and found Gulfport Produce.

"He just spotted it for sale. It just happened," Felana said.

The couple put in an offer, among a couple competitors, and they got it. They believe the previous owners felt they were the best fit. They didn't want to make major changes, just small improvements like adding more umbrellas and updating the credit card machine. 

So, on April 6, they moved to Gulfport, and in about three weeks, they trained with the previous owners and got to work. They closed the sale just this week.

It was meant to be, Felana says. She said all of the signs pointed to owning a produce stand. She used to have her own garden and grew so much that she often gave food away. Also, years and years ago, Felana's mom owned several produce stands. And Ryan's parents owned a former produce market. 

Felana says her father, Robert Van Bevern, told her, "It's in your blood to wash turnips."

Together, Felana says they balance each other out and work together very well. Her husband takes care of the business end and paperwork and she gathers up fresh produce from local farmers in the area — as often as five times a week.

They also hope to give back and help where they can. They've set out a box for food donations for Howell's Angels Wildlife Rehabilitation & Rescue.

The idea came to them after they donated fruits and veggies to the Gulfport animal rescue and saw a need. Now, any customer can come in and purchase fresh food for an "animal of the week" and drop it in the box. Each week the box will have a photo and complete description of the animal of the week.

This week, you can find a photo of Pumpkin the opossum and a list of what he likes to eat!

Gulfport Produce is open seven days a week. Hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. For more information you can find Gulfport Produce on Facebook or call (727) 350-5904.

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