Holland Produce: A Christmas menu mainstay

Staff

Published Sunday, December 26, 2004

jason.norman@suffolknewsherald.com

Sometimes you want to go where everybody knows your name, and they're always glad you came. You want to be where people see, troubles are all the same. You want to go where everybody knows your name.

That ditty might have been made famous by "Cheers." But it also applies to the Holland Market, which has been around much longer than Sam Malone's Boston tavern.

"People know that when they come here, they're going to get what they want," cook Mary Berry said between collard preparation. "We give them the best of the best."

To handle the Christmas haul, they have to; Berry estimates that in November and December, she fixes 200 bushels of collards, not to mention the mountains of hams, turkeys, dressings, yams and other fixings.

"Christmas is our busiest time of the year," said Jeanette Holland, who has been running the business with her brothers Wayne and Mike for four years. Holland's has been in the family for over three decades, and has resided in two difference Commerce Street buildings.

"We're looking forward to seeing everybody," Holland said of the holiday season. "We always want to see our faithful customers. Everything we offer at Christmas, we offer all year long." The market has catered several weddings, business gatherings and other events, and fixed food for the Temptations and Four Tops when Mike catered for the bands on Dec. 15 at the Norva in Norfolk. It also handles deliveries.

"I was going there when Mrs. Holland was there," said former city mayor Andy Damiani. "It's unique, because you always feel at home. It's people from the working guy who just finished digging a ditch to the judge who just finished a case, and they all feel comfortable. When people come to Holland for the first time, they already want to come back."

Over at Planters Peanuts, a line of customers stretched back to the door.

"We've shipped out 100 gift boxes every day this week," said manager Faye Beale, who orders her Christmas stock in July. "From Thanksgiving to Christmas is our busiest time of the year, because of the clientele my dad built up."

Her father C.O. Blevins ran the store for 25 years.

"They have the best peanuts," said Grover Johnson, waiting in line for the 15th-straight year. "I usually get the candy packs and the chocolate-covered peanuts. Planters is a very well-known name."

Vanessa Hicks has been coming by for four years.

"They have a little of everything here," she said. "The chocolate-covered peanuts are my uncle's favorite. I like the freshness and the variety - where else can you go to get so many peanuts?"

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