By Erika Kerekes

I’ve lived in Sunset Park for 13 years, and I think I stop at Bob’s Market (Ocean Park Blvd and 17th St) five times a week on average. I love Bob’s Market more than I ever thought I would love a local family-owned grocery store.

I love that everyone who works there knows me and several call me by name when I walk in. I love that they know my kids.

I love that I can ask a real person – Jim, the produce manager – whether the plums are sweet and where the cherries come from. I love that when I was craving sunchokes (don’t ask), Jim ordered me a case. And that he saved me a knob of fresh horseradish root before Passover because he knows I like to grind my own.

I love that the butchers (Hi Rich and David!) will special-order things for me, or will give me a sample sausage to take home when they’ve got a new variety in the case. I really love the catering orders I’ve gotten from them, both for my office and for my kids’ school. They’ve even opened early so I could pick up my order on days when I had to provide breakfast for 300 kids.

In case you were wondering, I have absolutely no financial interest in or relationship to Bob’s Market. Other than never wanting it to close, because it’s a treasured resource in our Santa Monica neighborhood.