A drive on Gravenstein Highway North in Sebastopol inevitably takes one past the family-owned, open-air market known as Andy’s Produce.
Visible from the road is not only the colorful array of fruits and vegetables, but the steady stream of customers, both local and visitors alike, who appreciate and enjoy all that Andy’s has to offer.
Established in 1964, by Andy Skikos as a roadside fruit stand, the now iconic establishment, while evolving to meet the demands of the community has continued to maintain its relationships with its local customers, farmers, suppliers and employees.
A family-run business that began with Andy and his wife Katie, it came to include the couple’s five children and 19 grandchildren.
And although Andy passed away in 2022, his legacy continues in the third generation to run the company.
Cousins Jina Homan and Josh Skikos, having explored other career options, came back to Andy’s taking on greater leadership roles beginning about seven years ago, and ultimately becoming the majority owners of the company that is intent on carrying on the family tradition of feeding people.
“In our family there is just something about providing food to that is sacred to us. It’s always been about family and food,” said Jina, Andy’s eighth grandchild. “We also feel like the previous generations of our family did their part and now it’s our turn to do the same. We have some big shoes to fill.”
While Josh added that additional motivation comes from making their own mark saying, “We are taking the reins and putting our own stamp on the business. We want to bridge the generational gap and make our family proud.”
Close as cousins, the pair also work extremely well together with each bringing different skill sets that are essential to the business operations surrounding Andy’s Produce.
Yet, they rely on values they learned growing up and working alongside their grandfather at the fruit stand as well.
“He was very calculated in what he taught us and was very good with numbers,” recalled Josh, who Andy often referred to as “Lucky No. 13” of the 19 grandkids. “He said the most important thing was to focus on the customer and their experience.”
A shrewd businessman, Andy understood the bottom line, always studying the numbers and even going so far as to count the number of cars in the parking lot on certain days.
What manifested from that was the wholesale business Andy’s started in 1997 which has grown from providing a few boxes weekly to supplying more than 200 stores, restaurants and schools in and beyond Sonoma County.
It’s a venture that Josh says has helped their buying power and has allowed them to establish important relationships with the growers.
“We want to keep our prices low, the quality high and be sure we can supply the community with what it needs. I’d say 80 percent of our perishable products are purchased directly from growers in California.”
As understanding where the food we eat comes from becomes more important and younger people have taken a greater interest in preparing meals, it is of paramount importance for Andy’s to keep up with the times.
Thus, those frequenting Andy’s can find a wide array of organic produce, grocery and bulk food items in addition to gourmet cheeses, deli items, beer and wine that feature many local brands along with a growing natural health and beauty section.
Working in conjunction with other local companies, Andy’s has a meat counter featuring products from the Panizzera Meat Company and for those who enjoy coffee, they can step just outside the market and find a Sunshine Organic Roasters’ espresso bar.
Another foundational principle that has guided the business into its sixth decade comes from one of Andy’s frequent sayings which was that “everyone has to eat,” not only illuding to meeting the needs of customers, but also to being involved with community organizations that help bolster food security for those in need.
Hence, while obviously taking pride in how the family run business has evolved, for Jina her grandfather’s influence perhaps came more from the example he set through his work ethic explaining that, “Papa was a doer. He was really a man of few words, but he worked. He also was generous and while his contributions impacted the community greatly, he did it quietly and never took credit.”
Supporters of non-profits such the Redwood Empire Food Bank and the St. Vincent de Paul Society, Jina and Josh have continued Andy’s compassion towards those who are hungry, exemplified by one of their most recent contributions which was delivering a truck load of produce to the Redwood Gospel Mission ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday.
An additional way the business has continued the mission of bringing food to people occurred during the COVID and fire years when others closed, whether they were forced or did so voluntarily, Andy’s Produce remained steadfast, brokering deals to keep the supply of food available.
“We were the last line of defense and we were going to go until someone shut us down. They never did,” said Jina, “Those were definitely some of our prouder moments, but food is one of the themes of our lives, so being able to give back to the community is something that is very fulfilling.”
Another avenue that the company has used to further its local engagement and find support over the years has been the Sonoma County Farm Bureau.
A member since 1981, both Josh and Jina see involvement in the SCFB as a natural fit pointing out how networking makes weathering the challenges easier and the successes sweeter to celebrate with people who have become longtime friends and share similar experiences.
“It’s a nice resource and gives us the ability to work together with others in the area. For example, we borrow the Sanchietti’s tractor every year. It just creates a network of support,” said Josh.
Still, a further illustration of what makes Andy’s Produce an experience that keeps customers coming back are the employees, some of whom have worked there for 20 and 30 plus years, prompting Jina and Josh to refer to them as “the backbone of Andy’s,” saying that, “We couldn’t keep our customers happy without their expertise and their hard work in all aspects of the business.”
Now, as they undertake the challenge of advancing the company and keeping the market a fundamental element in the community, the cousins are planning a renovation project that is slated to break ground in August and take approximately six months to complete.
“We are very excited but also a little nervous,” explained Jina. “We are going to do some updating, but want to keep the look and atmosphere so our customers feel welcome. We used local architects and plan to stay open while doing it. Our goal is to make the market better and be a part of keeping Sebastopol alive and thriving in addition to having people want to come out here. We think people will like the upgrades, but we also understand that change can be hard.”
The idea is to retain key elements of the current design, specifically keeping the open-air concept of the traditional fruit stand, but also to modernize the appearance and take the business forward, as they continue working to maintain the highest quality products and exemplary customer service.
Without question sustaining a family run business is no easy task, as SCFB Board member Steve Dutton, part of a longtime Sonoma County farming family himself, understands fully and also appreciates about the responsibilities that Jina and Josh have assumed.
“As a fellow multi-generational business owner, I have tremendous admiration for what they are doing as third-generation leaders of Andy’s Produce,” said Dutton. “Their grandfather, Andy, built a legacy rooted in hard work and true commitment to our local community, and it’s inspiring to see Jina and Josh uphold those values today. Keeping a family business thriving in Sonoma County is no small feat. Honoring their story reminds us why protecting multi-generational businesses matter so deeply.”
An overwhelming amount of evidence supports Dutton’s assertion that family run businesses have an immense impact both locally and on a larger scale as well, all related to the trust, appreciation and opportunity that they foster in their respective locations.
According to the World Economic Forum, generational companies are engaging enterprises that tend to take a longer-term outlook, which in turn creates a culture of care and responsibility.
However, in California just over a quarter of businesses are family owned, and for those which are small in size, it can be a challenge to compete with larger chain stores.
Nonetheless, Jina Homan and Josh Skikos are adhering to the standards that Andy’s Produce was founded upon and are bound and determined to carry on the tradition that “runs in the blood” and lead it forward into the future for another 60 years and beyond.