"Good evening to all my local Sonoma valley family neighbors just wanted to inform you guys that I am heartbroken because we had to close fruit basket one on Arnold drive today and it hurts me. It was like my baby but part of life."
"A lot of people would come up from the city, like going to Napa, and it would be part of their regular stop. I've worked [at Sonoma Country Antiques] for many, many years and they always had the best feta cheese that I would often get for lunch. It's a big loss for this area."
"I don't understand why building owners want to drive out long time family owned businesses by increasing the rent to the point it is insane. Arnold Fruit basket was my first Sonoma experience"
Sonoma Valley Fruit Basket No. 1 closed on March 2 after its rent was allegedly raised to $11,000 per month. The open-air produce market originally opened in 1972 by John Metallinos and operated as a family business for decades. The property changed ownership multiple times: sold in 2021 to real estate developer Ken Mattson, then transferred to Sacramento-based Socotra Capital after Mattson's 2025 arrest on fraud suspicion. The closure prompted community concern about rising rents displacing long-established local businesses. Neighbors expressed sadness over losing a beloved destination known for quality produce and fresh feta cheese.
#small-business-closure #rising-commercial-rent #family-owned-business #real-estate-development #community-impact
Read at SFGATE
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]