we used to be friends

For those of you who read this and don't actually know me (anyone?), my family owns a grocery store in Palo Alto. It's uniquely situated in the middle of College Terrace and a block from the Stanford campus. We've been there, family owned and operated, for over 50 years. There are, in fact, only 2 family-owned and operated grocery stores left in Palo Alto, and we are one of them.

There are a lot of things that make JJ&F really special. One is that the store is, at least superficially, run almost exactly the way my grandfather ran it back in the 50s. We have customers who have shopped with us for their entire lives. People come in not just to shop, but to see friends and catch up with people. My dad is one of the only butchers left in the Bay Area who breaks his own beef (we get a whole cow from Harris Ranch and do all of the cuts ourselves). We are a neighborhood market with specialty items and a gourmet meat department.

And we're being forced out of business.

This has been going on for about a year, but it's a complicated situation. First, there was going to be a big remodel, per the request of the property managers. Then, we realized we would have to close in order to remodel, and my dad wasn't willing to take that risk because we are already in close competition with Trader Joe's and Whole Foods and closing the store for an indefinite amount of time is just recipe for losing customers. Then the property managers got angry and all hell broke loose. The store is being sued, my dad is being sued, they say we owe a ton in back rent, we are counter--sueing because they never told us they raised the rent, etc etc. The fear, of course, is that we will lose in court (although it's not likely) and the store will close and we will have, quite literally, nothing. Not only will we not get any money (because the other option is to sell), but we'll owe all of these bogus back-taxes and rent. And it sucks because my family has worked so hard for so long and it may all end up being for nothing. And all along, no one has known anything about it because my dad wanted to keep things quiet

Yesterday, the Palo Alto Daily News published a big story. Because they couldn't contact us for an interview, they only had the property manager's side. We were made to look pretty bad. My dad was super upset because now he has to field questions at work because, obviously, our loyal customers are going to be caught totally off gaurd.

Today, the San Jose Mercury ran a story. This one was better, but things are still really up in the air right now.

The whole situation just sucks. My dad just turned 60 and all he can think about is how he's worked so hard his whole life and he's going to have nothing but debt when he retires. This store is all we have ever known. And, even more than that, it's like an institution in Palo Alto and to see it go.... Well, it would just be bad.

So, I don't know. If you pray, pray now. I hate seeing my family so sad.