About a week ago on Michael Bauer’s San Francisco Chronicle food blog, he broke the news that Bill Fujimoto of Monterey Market would be leaving the market as of today due to a business dispute within his family.
The news shocked me, especially since, less than a year ago, I got the honor of walking the market floor with Bill as he greeted customers, sliced tomatoes and handed bites to us to taste, and even caught a glimpse of Judy Rodgers of Zuni Café rummaging around in the produce crates in the back for just the right ingredients for that night’s menu.
Monterey Market’s not the most convenient to me, and so I haven’t been as much of a regular as I would like. But, although I have purely no statistical evidence on this, I’d say Bill has had a huge influence on other markets in the area, particularly the independent ones.
Bill injected the market with such a unique personality, with such passion and love for the small farmers who supplied the amazing produce sold there, that he was like the salt that brought out its sparkling flavor. Without him, it’s just going to be an average, fairly tasteless place to shop.
Unless the family manages to come to accord and he returns, I will take my business elsewhere.
on Jun 4th, 2009 at 11:00 am
The pattern here is readily recognizable, but not certain. Hence folks are taking
their lead from Bill, who has not encourage community action on this. For my
part – on hearing him say yesterday on his final departure from the Monterey Market that he hoped he would be able to find a good job – I am writing to the
Berkeley Bowl, and urging them to offer him a job doing what he believes in
doing. They’ve just opened a second store. They should welcome the potential
favorable publicity and unique talent of the excellent Bill Fujimoto.
on Jun 4th, 2009 at 11:12 am
Bob, my understanding is that Bill really can’t encourage any kind of action one way or the other because of legal entanglements. I can’t say I blame him for not saying much — in fact, it speaks more highly of him as an exceptional human being that he’s just taking the quiet high road here.
I agree with you, though — the Berkeley Bowl plus parking plus extra space plus Bill would be an unstoppable combination…