March 13, 2018 – After five years in business, Monterey’s first fresh food hall is closing its doors. The Wharf Marketplace, owned by Tanimura & Antle, is located near Wharf 2 in a historic train depot leased from the city and was put up for sale in December; the lease still has 5 years to run.
“The business is still up for sale,” says operations manager Mariza Indra. “Hopefully being closed is going to push someone to buy it and the sooner the better.”
Tanimura & Antle—a Salinas produce company—always envisioned the market as a showcase for the ‘Bounty of the County,’ but the stacks of beautiful fresh vegetables and fruits often took a back seat to prepared foods, grab and go sandwiches and its weekly wine tasting.
“It wasn’t the produce-based business that we had envisioned, but we hope that a new owner can bring it back,” says TA marketing director Kyla Oberman. The name Wharf Marketplace, store fixtures and some of the inventory are all up for sale and while there have been a few nibbles, a new owner has not yet been found.
Meantime, Indra says some of the ten staff have already found employment elsewhere and others are hoping to come back under new ownership.
To thank customers and friends for their loyalty over the years, The Wharf Marketplace is having a 20% off sale on all wines and other items. A final Thursday evening Happy Hour, featuring Galante and Dawn’s Dream wines, will take place from 4:30pm to 6:30pm, providing a great opportunity to stop by and toast to the end of an era.
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At Edible Monterey Bay, our mission is to celebrate the local food culture of Santa Cruz, San Benito and Monterey Counties, season by season. We believe in sustainability, and we believe everyone has a right to healthful, clean and affordable food. We think knowing where our food comes from is powerful, and we hope our magazine, website and newsletters inspire readers to get to know and support our local growers, fishers, chefs, vintners and food artisans.
