Against the Tide
FIVE GENERATIONS AND STILL COOKING Story and photos By Cat Cutillo
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BENEDETTI FAMILY STILL OPERATES ARCANGELI AFTER ALL THESE YEARS
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hile millennials are traveling far and wide to find their purpose in life, Chris Benedetti seems to have learned early on that he didn’t need to look any further than his own backyard to find happiness. At 27, he proudly represents the fifth generation of Arcangeli Grocery Co. in Pescadero. It’s a business that traces all the way back to his great-great-grandfather. “I tell people I’m going to be here until I’m dead and buried like everyone else. I love it here,” says Benedetti. He manages the family store while his father, Mike, is the current owner. Five generations of family ownership is rare. According to one study by the Family Business Institute only 3 percent of businesses operate at the fourth generation and beyond. Benedetti is more than happy to share the family’s secret recipe for survival. “I think its because we’re honest people. We’ve made it this long with hard work, determination and just being good people,” he says. And the owners aren’t the only ones with a history at Arcangeli’s. The customers also seem to share a long lineage of family memories. “I talk to people who have been coming for generations. They say they remember when they were a kid and came with their dad
2016
Chris Benedetti takes hot pies out of the oven at Arcangeli Grocery Co.