Fresh State of Affairs Issue 28

Page 22

OF AFFAIRS

22

issue 28 jun 2015

Where fresh produce is the star of the show

Palamara Village Fruits has been a popular destination for fresh quality produce and friendly customer service for the last 23 years. The modern streamlined shop is bursting to the seams with colourful fresh fruit and veg displayed in a way that just makes you want to grab something off the shelf and bite into it straight away. Unlike many other greengrocer/fruit & veg shops, Palamara doesn’t compete with too many generic grocery lines, rather choosing to sell unique local products that compliment the produce. An example of this is their juice bar strategically set up at the entrance of the store which is the only one of its kind in the area. Steve Palamara is the brainchild behind the look and feel of the aptly named Palamara Village Fruits. “We are known in the markets as Palamara’s however the original store name is Mt Eliza Village Fruits. After our store renovation a few years ago, I wanted to go back to our family roots by placing my family name in front,” says Steve.

Palamara doesn’t compete with too many generic grocery lines, rather choosing to sell unique local products that compliment the produce.

The Palamara Village Fruits ‘A’ Team (left to right): Lindor Sulemani, Sanje Hopwood, Steve Palamara, David ‘Ronnie’ Evans and Joe Sinopoli (store manager).

Steve’s father, Albert started out in the industry as an Italian migrant worker sponsored by his sister Sarina and her husband in their Glenhuntly fruit shop. It didn’t take long for Albert to realise he had the know how to setup his own shop and together with his brother Joe, they set up on Centre Road in East Bentleigh. Albert recalls how very different trading was in those days – there was personalised service where the fruiterer would pick out everything for the customer and they only stocked seasonal produce from Victoria with the exception of bananas and few tropical fruits. Albert and his wife Maria had three children Steve, Richard and Marisa, and after 17 years operating the East Bentleigh business, Albert decided he wanted a new challenge. So he decided to sell up and move the family to a little beachside town called Mt Eliza. They opened Albert’s Fruit Supply in Seaford next door to Leo’s Tuckerbag (now Ritchies IGA). It didn’t take long for the business to take off and Albert employed a couple of fulltime staff along with his sons Steve and Richard who helped after school and on weekends. Steve especially took a shine to the family business and it was not long before he knew he would follow in his father’s footsteps.


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Fresh State of Affairs Issue 28 by Fresh State - Issuu