By Parker McKenzie
Pellegrino’s Fresh Fruits has called time on their stall at the Upper Ferntree Gully Market after 47 years and many great memories for the family business.
Tony Pellegrino, who took over the business from his father, said the entire family wanted to thank everyone who had shopped at the stall over the years.
“We enjoyed the weekends, the really nice customers who came in every weekend regardless of the weather,” he said.
Every Saturday, and for a period both days on the weekend, Pellegrino’s Fresh Fruits spent three hours setting up their market stall in the morning, all day at the market, before taking three hours to pack it down.
Katrina Pellegrino said the family had made lifelong friends at the market, even attending the weddings of customers with who they forged a bond.
“We just wanted to say a big thank you to everyone. Whether they were $1 customers or $100 customers, they all meant a lot,” she said.
“Sometimes it was really slow, sometimes you weren’t making a lot of money, but that wasn’t the point,” Mr Pellegrino added.
“You just nice people come down, and you’d see the same people every week.”
Staffing issues have been the biggest reason for the decision to end their lifelong association with the market.
Ms Pellegrino said they used to employ university students, who would stay employed by the business throughout their entire studies.
“They did their three years while they studied, they’d bring friends or brothers and it’s not happening anymore,” she said.
“We’ve had doctors, lawyers and school principals, who we are still friends with today.”
Throughout its existence, the couple’s sons Paul, Joseph, Ross, Frank and Philip have all worked at the market, which has seen a lot of change over the years.
Mr Pellegrino said originally it was an arts and craft market and was far busier than it is today.
“People don’t seem to have the same appreciation for handmade stuff as much today,” he said.
“Now it’s the same as every market.”
Pellegrino’s Fresh Fruits still has a shop at 8 Sunset Avenue Olinda, where the 3rd generation of the family still operates the business alongside Ms and Mr Pellegrino.
“We all get along,” Ms Pellegrino said.
“Though sometimes we are still teaching them to let them know who the real boss is.”
