July 29, 2009

Racine Produce store not closing, but it is for sale


No, Racine Produce isn't closing, as some customers have feared.

But the Hispanic-centered grocery store on Durand Avenue in Elmwood Plaza, is for sale.

Brothers Dino, left, and Jimmy Gregory opened the grocery store known for its abundant produce and Mexican foods in 2001. Dino says, "Business used to be good, but now it's down 40 percent from two years ago."

"It's not just us that are hurting," Dino says, gesturing to Racine -- and the entire country -- beyond. "Racine is very bad off," he says. "We need to get some jobs here," adds Jimmy.

"I see no hope here," says Dino. "People are leaving."

The brothers are Greek, but see nothing unusual in their running a store that caters to Racine's Hispanic population. Jimmy notes: "It's easy for Greeks to speak the Spanish language. There are cultural similarities between our countries. And it's traditional for Greeks to be in this business." He says many Hispanic-centered stores in Chicago are owned by Greeks.

If they sell Racine Produce, the brothers say they will open a similar store in Milwaukee, where they believe there is more opportunity. Right now, they say they've had interest in the store from "five or six" different individuals -- but "they've had difficulty getting bank credit."

The shelves at Racine Produce remain well-stocked. The bread aisle has plenty of churros, pan de platano, calabaza, canela and piedras. (Even some white bread rolls on a bottom shelf.) There is a full case of queso fresca; the deli section -- carniceria -- is stocked with pollo and pescados y mariscos. The cookie shelf has plenty of Marias, Sandwich Marquez, El Mexicano Canelas -- alongside the Oreos. And, of course, the fruit aisle is overflowing with the familiar and unfamiliar.

12 comments:

  1. This is most certainly SCJ's fault!

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  2. Nice store hope somehow they can stay.

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  3. Anon 4:00 PM -

    You're finally seeing the light.

    Congrats!

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  4. SCJ? Enlighten us.

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  5. Great Store all around, A+++...

    Please don't leave.

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  6. Love Racine produce. It would be very upsetting if it left.

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  7. This is a great place - let's get out and support them.

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  8. Not exactly the report you'd expect to hear from someone who is LOOKING FOR A BUYER for their business.

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  9. "It's not just us that are hurting," Dino says, gesturing to Racine -- and the entire country -- beyond. "Racine is very bad off," he says. "We need to get some jobs here," adds Jimmy.

    "I see no hope here," says Dino. "People are leaving."

    Ditto

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  10. Moldy second class fruit, rude clerks, yuk. HOWEVER, inspite of the lower grade fruit and veggies, their meat department is actually the best thing.

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  11. Anon 11:26 already pointed this out, but I have to question the business intelligence of someone who tells a reporter that "there is no hope here" while trying to sell the place. Huh?

    Good luck with your Milwaukee store, gentlemen. Sounds like you'll need it.

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  12. Racine Produce is a great place to shop. Every store has moldy fruit. The big chains throw it in the dumpster. Racine Produce trims the bad parts and offers it at a discount. People on a budget will buy that fruit if they don't mind something so ripe.

    I don't like my fruit perfect. I long for the days of my childhood and imperfection in our fruit but it tasted much better.

    Hey, farmer, farmer, put away that D.D.T., now!
    Give me spots on my apples
    But leave me the birds and the bees, please!
    Don't it always seem to go
    That you don't know what you've got till it's gone?
    They paved paradise and put up a parking lot.

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