Berkeley Bowl is an independent grocery store in Berkeley, California.[1] Founded by Glenn and Diane Yasuda,[2] it sells organic and natural products and is known for its extensive produce section. In 2008, the Los Angeles Times wrote that it was "[Berkeley]'s most popular grocery store" and "one of the nation's most renowned retailers of exotic fruits and vegetables."[3] It has two locations in the city.
 | |
| Industry | Grocery Store |
|---|---|
| Founders | Glenn and Diane Yasuda |
| Headquarters | Berkeley, California , United States |
| Products | fruits and vegetables, groceries |
| Website | Berkeley Bowl |
The business name is a reference to the former bowling alley that became the store's first location.[1]
History
editIn 1977, Glenn and Diane Yasuda opened a small neighborhood market in a converted building that formerly housed a bowling alley at 2777 Shattuck Avenue.[4][5] At the time, Glenn was teaching business education at a local college. By the late 1990s, the business had outgrown the building, and in 1999 it moved renovated and moved to a former Safeway supermarket, at 2020 Oregon Street.[6]
In 2002, labor organizers pushed to unionize the store's 250 employees. In 2004, but after a series of disputes, the National Labor Relations Board accused the company of "pervasive and serious" labor issues that prevented a fair election.[6][7] The company reached a settlement that year, recognizing the United Food and Commercial Workers as representatives of Berkeley Bowl workers, and paying but not reinstating two employees who claimed that they were unfairly fired.[7]
In 2008, John Glionna, a staff writer for the Los Angeles Times, wrote an article with some negative comments about the store. [8] In response, Glionna was banned for life from the business.[9][10]
In 2009, the business opened a second location, Berkeley Bowl West. In 2010, the union was decertified after an employee vote.[11]
In 2020, Glenn Yasuda died at the age of 85.[12] Yasuda’s son, Gen, took over the running of the two stores in Berkeley.[10]
References
edit- ^ a b Tager, Sally (September 19, 1984). "Want 15 kinds of lettuce, 5 kinds of berries? Try the Berkeley Bowl". The Christian Science Monitor. Retrieved June 3, 2012.
- ^ de Turenne, Veronique (June 16, 1999). "Bowling for Produce". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 3, 2012.
- ^ Glionna, John M. (September 22, 2008). "Where the nuts are off the shelf". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on April 21, 2017. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
- ^ Batey, Eve (February 20, 2020). "Glenn Yasuda, Co-Founder of Famed Produce Mart Berkeley Bowl, Dies at 85". Eater SF. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
- ^ Wasman, Sharon (August 3, 2005). "You Think You've Got Tomatoes". The New York Times. Retrieved June 3, 2012.
- ^ a b Romney, Lee (October 30, 2003). "Labor Fight Seen as Un-Berkeley". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on March 6, 2016. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
- ^ a b Raine, George (August 11, 2004). "Berkeley Bowl joins union after long fight". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
- ^ Glionna, John M. (September 22, 2008). "Where the nuts are off the shelf". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 11, 2024.
- ^ Glionna, John (September 25, 2008). "On getting banned from the Berkeley Bowl". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved July 11, 2024.
- ^ a b Lin, Sarah Belle (February 20, 2020). "Glenn Yasuda, who made Berkeley Bowl internationally known for its excellent produce, dies at 85". Berkeleyside. Retrieved July 11, 2024.
- ^ West, Jackson (June 26, 2010). "Berkeley Bowl Soon to Be Non-Union Again". NBC Bay Area. Retrieved May 6, 2022.
- ^ Acosta, Gina (February 20, 2020). "Berkeley Bowl Founder Glenn Yasuda Dies". Progressive Grocer. Retrieved July 11, 2024.