John Calderon arrived in Seattle in 1914, having left his home in Turkey to avoid conscription into the Army. After working in the shipyards during World War I, he went into the produce business as a buyer for two supermarket chains. With limited capital, John opened his own fruit and vegetable market in 1931. Sons Vic and Jack helped out in the afternoons. John’s wife Mathilda provided money from her household savings to help grow the business. At its peak, Publix Fruit & Produce Co. operated 30 trucks and became the primary produce wholesaler in Seattle, selling to almost every big restaurant in town, as well as hotels, ships and hospitals.
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John Calderon was a fixture on Seattle's Produce Row.
John Calderon was a fixture on Seattle's Produce Row.
