Apple of Their Eye

While it’s hardly the mom and pop corner store of old, neither is the new Camarillo Apple Market supermarket an outlet owned by a nationwide corporation, with boards of directors for owners.

Inside, the Apple Market appears similar to a Vons (which previously ran a store on the same Arneill Road premises), Ralphs, Albertsons or a Lucky’s supermarket. The difference is that the manager not only manages the store, but also owns it.

The mom and pop here are co-owners Tonya and Stephen Davis Jr. Stephen acts as store manager, while Tonya is the store’s scan coordinator.

That isn’t to say that the just-opened market is the only one of its kind. This week’s grand opening makes 21 Apple Markets, all in California and all privately owned.

“With 21 stores, we can offer prices as low as the big chains and warehouse stores and still carry quality, like USDA Choice meats,” Stephen said.

In recent years, while many independent grocery stores have gone under, some have turned themselves into Apple Markets, which means they operate under the banner of their supplier, Certified Grocers of California.

But they remain independently owned and operated, while Certified Grocers acts in a co-op, wholesale capacity to the stores, also providing the name, decor, signage and equipment.

“Their program helps independents stay independent,” said Tonya Davis.

The supermarket lives up to the “apple” in its name--last week the produce department featured nine varieties of apples, including fujis at 99 cents a pound, braeburns at 89 cents, golden delicious at 50 cents, Romes at 89 cents, two sizes of galas, and McIntoshes at 99 cents.

Produce manager Joaquin Moreno pointed out the Ventura County-grown fruits and vegetables: “All our leaf and head lettuces, plus celery, broccoli, cabbage, hothouse tomatoes, mushrooms and strawberries.”

He goes with local suppliers whenever he can, Moreno said.

Stephen Davis added that the single biggest difference between this Apple Market and the one he and Tonya ran with his parents in El Monte is, “This county is the produce capital. Every day we get a delivery of lettuce--we didn’t get that in Los Angeles.”

Although the supermarket doesn’t offer discount cards as some chain supermarkets do, it gives a 5% discount to people 55 or older every Tuesday.

“It’s on the honor system,” Davis said. “All you have to do is tell us.”

The Apple Market is open daily from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. at 389 Arneill Road.

Call 484-0431 for more information.