NEW KiD on the BLOCK

BY ISABELLA OCAÑAS

Last August when senior Heather Ulwick was driving down Palm Street in Orange, a pop of blue and orange was sticking out between the rows of non-descript houses she passed.

Later she would learn the blue and orange structure is home to the new Palm Market & Deli. And for the next four months, Ulwick and her roommates watched it come to life. Four months of long labor for the new owners, who had to sell their own home to pay for it.

“I’ve literally been waiting for this place to open since I saw it,” said Ulwick, a music tech student.

So when its doors finally opened just before Christmas, she was ready. And not disappointed.

The Palm Market & Deli, located just two blocks east of the Chapman campus, is not a new place. Well, it kind of is. The old Palm Market was a classic neighborhood convenience store, established in 1925, and closed just before the pandemic. Its new owner, Tim Waterhouse, hopes to establish the Palm Market & Deli as the “go-to” store for Orange residents and Chapman students alike.

“We’ve never lost sight of the fact that this is a neighborhood market,” said Waterhouse, who rebuilt the Palm Market & Deli keeping Orange residents and Chapman University in mind.

The Palm Market has been under plenty of previous ownerships. The first of which was the son of one of the founders of Orange, Alfred Chapman. Since its establishment, the market has become an integral part of the neighborhood. Throughout the years, it was the stomping grounds for generations of Orange residents.

But Waterhouse himself is not an Orange local. He hails from southern New Jersey where he spent his time in his grandmother’s kitchen and his early career in kitchens across the East Coast. So what pushed him away from his home base?

When Waterhouse made the journey west there was only one thing that mattered, palm trees.

“I know if there’s a palm tree, it doesn’t snow,” said Waterhouse.

But it wasn’t long before he fell in love with Orange. The tight-knit community and craftsman houses gave the neighborhood a familiar East Coast feeling. When he looked at the houses and the people around him, Waterhouse could tell this was a group of hardworking and committed residents.

“And usually committed people tend to like nicer things,” he said.

So when he found the slowly deteriorating building sitting between Cleveland and Harwood streets, he knew this was his chance to provide that.

But the rebuilding process wasn’t easy. What was supposed to be a simple three-month job, Waterhouse thought, turned into nearly a year and a half of excavating floors soiled with rat droppings, rotting drywall, and deteriorating wood. It wasn’t cheap either. In total, the rebuild cost just shy of $650,000, according to Waterhouse’s calculations.

“This place almost put me into the mental hospital,” said Waterhouse.

But the sacrifices weren’t just monetary. In order to fund the delis’ refurbishing, Waterhouse and his family gave up their home in Placentia. The

Waterhouse family now resides in the 2,000-squarefoot apartment above their new market.

It’s been just over two months since the Palm Market & Deli opened and the place seems to be in full swing. It’s clear that Waterhouse has become one with the Orange community. As he sits outside on a Thursday evening sipping a black americano, Waterhouse greets the passerby, most he knows by name.

“You can just tell Tim really cares about the people he serves,” said junior education major and Palm Market employee Janey Bonnifield.

Orange residents and Chapman students stop by to grab a six-inch deli sandwich for $9, craft beer, artisan pasta, or just to chat with Waterhouses’ wife of 19 years, Moose, who runs the front counter.

The first thing that greets you when you walk in the doors of the Palm Market & Deli is a larger-than-life gumball machine (pull an orange gumball and you get one six-inch sub for free). Two rows of shelves sit under fluorescent lights. You’ll find an assortment of specialty candies, chips, wine, and even some Spam and other non-perishables for those looking to restock their cupboard.

“It’s kind of a mecca for all things food,” said Chapman senior and public relations and advertising student Natalee Olsen.

Is Palm Market the new go-to place in Orange? The verdict is still out. While those that know about Palm Market & Deli know it well, there are plenty of Orange residents who are yet to be familiar with the updated shop.

“I can’t believe I hadn’t heard of this place sooner,” said Orange local and first-time Palm Market patron Jennifer Pershon. “I think it’s a great fit for the community we have here.”

Nearly six months after first witnessing what would become the Palm Market & Deli, Ulwick still makes trips there when she gets the chance. It’s a typical Wednesday night, and she finds herself at the deli counter once again. Tonight, she’ll order what she always does, a six-inch plaza sandwich, with magic sauce.

So what did all those trips past the orange and blue add up to? Ulwick said with a smile: