"Courtney's Produce, at 101 Castro St., was a staple of the Duboce Triangle-meets-Castro community, selling everything from flower bouquets to fresh-squeezed juice. It was famous for homemade peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, which had slices of fresh strawberries in the raspberry jam that was plastered between thick slices of cinnamon challah. Anyone who has ever ridden the 24 Muni bus line would recognize the assortment of fresh fruit piled high on bright green shelves in front of the store."
"The corner market was owned and operated by Patrick and Lola Courtney since 1971, according to the San Francisco Legacy Business Registry. Patrick grew up in County Kerry, Ireland, before immigrating to New York in the 1940s with his brother. One fateful night, after a few pints at the Irish Cultural Center in New York, the Courtney brothers persuaded another Irishman that they should drive to California the next morning. The other man, after all, had just purchased a car."
Courtney's Produce at 101 Castro St. will close permanently, with the last day of business scheduled for Friday. The market served the Duboce Triangle and Castro neighborhoods for 54 years, offering flower bouquets, fresh-squeezed juice, piled fruit displays, and signature homemade peanut butter and jelly sandwiches on cinnamon challah. Patrick and Lola Courtney owned and operated the store since 1971 and lived in the unit above the market. Patrick emigrated from County Kerry, Ireland, lived in New York, then moved to California and opened the original shop in the Haight with $250 earned painting a house. A sign on the door thanked customers for their loyalty and friendship.
Read at SFGATE
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]