DeMartini Orchard Stands as Testament to Local Farm Stands and Knowing Thy Grower

DeMartini Orchard is a tiny gem of a historic fresh-food stand on busy San Antonio Road, one block north of the entrance to downtown Los Altos. The fruits of the earth sold here are so delectable the store often identifies the growers by name on its handmade signs. Stop in and you’ll find yourself irresistibly inveigled by Ron Borba’s zesty zucchinis, which have wended their way west from Watsonville. Across the aisle, the sensuous scents of Dave Myashita’s Momotaro tomatoes promise superior sustenance. The Momotaro, by the way, is named after a Japanese folk hero, who—conveniently for a fruit grower—landed on Earth inside a giant peach.

The produce is as local as you can get without growing your own. In summer, DeMartini is famous for selling the Blenheim apricots grown directly across the street at the Los Altos Civic Center Apricot Orchard, a heritage property with landmark status. Though one of the best-loved fruits of the Santa Clara Valley, the Blenheim now ripens on just a few remaining commercial acres in the increasingly crowded region. They are so in demand, DeMartini is forced to keep them in the back—for sale upon request only—in order to avoid a stampede.

The business was founded in 1932 as a fruit stand for the original DeMartini family. In 1955, the Zeitmans bought the business and in 1985, with the actual orchard a distant memory, the Kozy brothers—Tony and Craig—took it over and continue to run the stand today, with the help of Craig’s son James. It is now the oldest continuously operating business in Los Altos.

The business is so local, DeMartini experimented for a time with carrying backyard produce from several neighborhood gardens, including heirloom tomatoes from Craig Murray in Los Altos Hills. But health and safety regulations made the practice problematic. “I can’t inspect neighborhood gardens to ensure the safety of my customers,” says Craig. “Now I stick with certified growers.”

Everybody shops here, including the elusive entrepreneur John Vidovich, whose commercial ranch supplies the stand with premier pomegranates from the Central Valley. Tech companies may be changing the way some people shop—think Amazon and Whole Foods—but not here. At DeMartini a new generation clamors for fresh and local, something this organic oasis has been perfecting for more than eight decades.