05/31/2006
ALAMEDA, CA -- Life in fresh produce has come full circle for Dan (The Produce Man) Avakian, who has just purchased the open-air market where he got his start in the industry in 1976 at age 15.

Mr. Avakian, who for years co-hosted the nationally syndicated radio show "The Produce Pair," officially opened his store -- Dan's Fresh Produce -- May 22. The open-air market has had several owners since Mr. Avakian got his start here at age 15, with Mr. Avakian now taking the helm.

Mr. Avakian partnered with his brother and a friend - who will be silent partners -- in buying the store. He secured the services of industry veteran Geoff Burnaford, who comes to the operation direct from Fuji Melon on the Oakland Wholesale Market, where he was a driver and a warehouseman. In the early 1980s, Mr. Avakian worked for a year as a clerk in Mr. Burnaford's Berkeley, CA, grocery store - Burnaford's - that had a 15-year run. The two also worked together at the now defunct Webvan.com, a grocery delivery service.

"Dan's been wanting to get something started," said Mr. Burnaford. "Retail is really my shtick, and I plan to have a complete blast" at Dan's Fresh Produce.

Having a veteran produce man such as Mr. Burnaford on board will help in numerous ways -- such as with quality control -- Mr. Avakian said. Dan's Fresh Produce will get its fresh produce from small local farms, all three San Francisco Bay area wholesale produce markets and from growers around the world. Between them, Mr. Avakian and Mr. Burnaford will split visits to the area wholesale produce markets.

"Every place I've gone, I've tried to steal Geoff," Mr. Avakian said. He also has inherited Denise Walden as grocery manager. Ms. Walden has worked at the store -- under several changes in ownership -- since 1982.

Dan's Produce Market carries a wide variety of specialty, organic and conventional fruits and vegetables, as well as a line of natural groceries, artisan breads and pastries, organic dairy, eggs, imported and domestic cheeses, soy products, bulk grains, beans and flours, and organic coffee beans.

Store hours will be 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday. The store is located at 2300 Central Ave. Among Mr. Avakian's plans are to have restaurant accounts and feature cooking demos on the premises.

"We'll offer what people can't find in supermarkets," Mr. Avakian said. "We'll have one-on-one customer service."

Short radio spots with Mr. Avakian -- "Getting Fresh" -- can be heard on 111radio.com Saturdays at 11:05 a.m. and 3:05 p.m. He also appears occasionally for brief spots on KTVU Channel 2, aired in the San Francisco Bay area. Mr. Avakian said that "The Produce Pair" show might re-emerge soon following a request from a satellite network that Mr. Avakian and radio partner Mark (Guido The Gardener) Ferro return to the broadcast booth. This time the "booth" likely would be a portable console at Dan's Fresh Produce.

Prior to opening his store, Mr. Avakian's most recent contribution to the produce industry was liaison of public and vendor relations at San Francisco-based VegiWorks Inc.