Markets are People too!

By: Gracee Arthur

Last week I said ” goodbye” to Stacy, Lupe, Blanca and all my other friends at Hows’ Trancas Market in Malibu.  The original Trancas market opened in 1953. Hows’ bought the market in 2000 and did a bit of refurbishing before it launched the store with  a  grand opening in June.  The market was under new management, but happily the faces behind the register , bakery and meat counters remained the same. The transition was smooth and the neighborhood market was the go-to place for morning pastry, last minute shopping, good meat and fish, as well as friendly personal service.

Blanca and Stacey

Flash forward to August 2011 and the rather abrupt closing of Hows’ Trancas Market in Malibu which was up for sale.  The market could not find a buyer and the developers are still in negotiations with several potential tenants to take over the spot; so there will be no market at Trancas in the near future.  The loss for the residents of west Malibu is immense but there is no greater loss than that suffered by long time, loyal employees of the market, who became our friends through the years. We all miss them and hope they will find new employment soon.

Recently, the Malibu Times published a beautifully written letter by checker Stacey Montgomery, some thoughts which I will share with you here: “I hope the new grocery store that comes in realizes what a special placed filled with kind, loving, caring people they are entering.” “If a local kid comes in and forgot his money it is okay because you know their mom.” “I just hope they do not ruin our little island known as Trancas with corporate mumbo-jumbo. Because I would much rather live, shop, and work in a community of “How are you. How’s the family, how’s the horse, cool new car, Happy Birthday” rather than, “have you found everything you are looking for, $15.87, Thank you, have a nice day.” “If you love what you do you’ll never work a day in your life,” applied to my work at Hows.

Thank you Stacey, and all the other terrific former employees of Hows’ Trancas Market for your service to the community and your friendship. We will miss you. This is a tough time to to be out of a job, so I hope those of you who know and love the Trancas crew will remember them if you know of any job opportunities out there.  This is the time to pay it forward and help a friend.