Comments on: Monterey Market

By: Joan Mocine

Joan Mocine — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 21:39:12 +0000

I have shopped at Monterey Market for a zillion years. It’s irritatingly crowded, but the checkout is fast. Parking lot is too small, but there are always places opening up.

This comment sums it all up:

A few summers ago I was looking for some stone fruit and saw Bill in that section. I asked what was good today. He said “It’s ALL great.” I bought accordingly, but a small part of me said “Aw, that’s what they all say.”

When I made the compote, I sampled all the fruit. He was right, it was all really great. I never doubted again.

By: Jean Kennedy

Jean Kennedy — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 20:39:14 +0000

It seems to me that in a time when the economy is bad and your nearest/biggest competitor just opened up a nice new store nearby the board of Monterey Market would NOT want to do anything, such as getting rid of Bill, to upset their customer base. Doing that is just a very very bad business decision.

By: Christine

Christine — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 21:16:15 +0000

On Sunday June 28, there’s going to be a community celebration to thank Bill and Judy Fujimoto for their 31 years at Monterey Market.

Here are the details:

Sunday, June 28 from 2 to 5 p.m.
King School Park in Berkeley (Hopkins Street near Colusa Avenue)
Please bring a sweet or savory finger food to share

Hope to see you there!

By: Joshua Chavanne

Joshua Chavanne — Thu, 11 Jun 2009 01:21:06 +0000

As a former employee and loyal customer I saw how the market was run and Bill and Judy were integral to the place being what it is. Bill has been consistently a hard worker and involved in the buying. The thing about Bill getting up at 2a.m. is not glamorous, but it is the truth. He gets up to get the good stuff.

We often are apt to look at these things in a symbolic or confrontational context, but I have to say that the goods come with experience and I cannot say that the new management necessarily has that.

Judy and Bill have always been calm and cool headed in addition to being great employers, so the decisions they make mean a lot to me, if they are behind the boycott I too am for it. I think they would shy away from saying that though from the amount of tact that I’ve seen them display. Though I do appreciate the efforts of Lisa Brennis and this here blog.

And at the risk of sounding petty…
“How would the restaurant owners feel if we boycotted them based on their opinions.” I think this situation is not quite that cut and dry… a better analogy would be, how would you feel if they swapped cooks in the kitchen?

By: Karl Gerstenberger

Karl Gerstenberger — Sun, 07 Jun 2009 00:33:22 +0000

Family businesses have unique dynamics, which transcend typical business concerns.

Instead of a boycott, why don’t the supporters of MM organize a cooperative business venture? Install Bill and Judy as the permanent managers, and then throw it out to a national search when they’re ready to retire. The Hopkins facility has been crazed since my earliest shopping memory in the early 90’s. I loved every crazed minute of it, but there may be a better facility. The family dirty laundry needs to stay in the laundry bag.

By: Berit Block

Berit Block — Sat, 06 Jun 2009 18:57:51 +0000

Boycotting the market will only hurt the workers and those of us in the community who could lose this wonderful market. Change is hard but Bill and Judy are leaving by their own choice. Instead of being afraid of change and being negative with a boycott, perhaps it might be better to wait and see how things go. Change is not always a bad thing. How would the restaurant owners feel if we boycotted them based on their opinions. Something I am seriously considering!

By: Anne Sussman

Anne Sussman — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 19:03:02 +0000

The market is my neighborhood store. I’m even willing to stand in line on a busy Saturday if I run out of milk. I will support a boycott of the store until there is a resolution in this dispute and Bill and Judy are back running the store. I’ve lived here for over 40 years and Monterey Market is one of the best reasons for living in the neighborhood and that is due to the way Bill and Judy have been running it. Please don’t let this jewel go away.

Anne Sussman

By: Robin Richardson

Robin Richardson — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 01:02:37 +0000

I live in Oakland but on Saturdays I rendezvous with friends for coffee at Roma across from Monterey Market and then make the rounds afterwards…fair trade coffee at the Coffee Market, chicken or chicken sausages at Magnani, tamales from the tamale lady, my favorite morning bun with cranberries from the bakery, a trip to Berkeley Hort, and finally (and most importantly), my veggie-shopping at Monterey Market. I rave about Monterey Market to friends…great prices, fresh, ripe produce. When friends and family visit from out of town, a trip to MM is the first thing I think of and off we go.

I can’t believe what I’m hearing about Bill and Judy. I will miss shopping at MM but I will stop shopping there until there is a resolution of which Bill approves.

Robin Richardson

By: Robert W. Birge

Robert W. Birge — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 21:26:03 +0000

I have shopped st the Monterey Market since Tom and Mary ran it around the corner. I have had Bill and Judy to dinner twice and when I meet him in the market he always has something new for me to taste or can order things specially if necessary. How can it run without him. Bob Birge

By: Thom Donnelly

Thom Donnelly — Mon, 01 Jun 2009 16:08:03 +0000

My family and I have spent well over 50% of our food budget at Monterey Market, since we moved to East Oakland. Every Saturday, we trek to North Berkeley, making our stops at Monterey Market, Magnani, Coffee Mart, and Monterey Fish Market. Over the years, we have gotten to know Bill and Judy, and understand their unique commitment to the sustainable food movement.

Saturday, May 30th was a very sad day as we said our goodbyes to the many workers we have known and and related to every week for 26 years. One of the unique things about Monterey Market is the consistency and stability of the workers at MM. There are so many I can not name them all.

We, my family and I will not be shopping at Monterey Market again, unless Bill and Judy are running the show. I hope that the family finds a way to resolve their issues, but that being said, my (our family and many of our friends) loyalties are with Bill and Judy.

The $100/week spent at MM, will go else where. perhaps and probably, some of the $100 will go to our local farmers markets (we already spend $100 at Farmers Markets).

I am very saddened to be forced to make this decision, but we and our friends will be boycotting Monterey Market until and unless Bill is back in charge.

Thom Donnelly