Joseph E. Saccone is a big man, in stature and reputation. He will celebrate his 105th birthday on Jan. 13. For that alone, he represents an integral part of San Rafael’s history. But there is more. Long before Trader Joe’s, before Whole Foods, Joe and his brother, Ben established their first Marin-based United Market store in 1955 at 515 Third St. They opened their second store on Red Hill Avenue in San Anselmo in 1959.
The Saccones sold the two United Market stores in the early 1980s to longtime employees Bill Daniels and Bob Musante, who ran them as partners until Musante retired in 2007.
Saccone explained, “My brother and I felt putting community first was very important. Both Bill and Bob were store managers by then and they didn’t make many changes from the way we were doing things. We were very happy about that.”
Daniels recently died after an illness at the age of 75. Saccone spoke fondly of the man who stepped into his shoes. “Bill Daniels was only 17 when I hired him as a grocery clerk, but I saw a lot of potential in him. He was my protégé, and I was proved right. I feel very badly about losing him.”
“When Ben retired, no one in his family wanted to take over his store, so Bill took it over. I know Bill’s daughter worked with him, so of course, I hope the stores stay in his family and carry on the tradition,” Saccone continued. “It’s funny to be able to remember when that store on Third Street was the site of an old lumberyard and the (Montecito) shopping center was a yacht harbor.”
Saccone lived in his own home until the last several years. “So much has changed. I lost my wife, Elda in 2012. I miss her every day. This tough old man is not ashamed to say, I still cry sometimes when I think of her. We were married for 72 years.”
He added, “I don’t have any secrets. I worked hard and played hard. My son-in-law, Bob Albertazzi, is my angel. Once I fell and broke my hip, well, I needed to be in a wheelchair and I couldn’t live in my home anymore. My daughter and son-in-law encouraged me to move. Then Bob put everything I needed together in this room.”
Like many once powerful men, like Churchill, Eisenhower, Carter and George W. Bush, Saccone turns to art to ease the passage of time. His birthday celebration will take place at Alma Via on Friday, Jan. 11 at 515 Northgate Drive in San Rafael.
More changes?
Western Boat and Tackle settled in nicely to their new digs. They moved last spring, from their longtime location on Third Street to 555 Francisco Blvd., East, Suite 24, in the Harbor Center mall in San Rafael. The interior is bright and fishing poles and other gear are professionally displayed like eye-candy for anyone avid about fishing.
A variety of fresh fish are easy to find in the counter display cases. “We’ve been doing a brisk business in crab this year. That’s our best seller. We are often able to get it, when the bigger stores can’t keep it in stock,” said owner Scott Hill. “It has been a tough year for the fishermen in many areas, though. Many of the crabs had to be put back because they were underweight. In fact, the season was closed from Bodega Bay, north to Oregon.”
When praised by a walk-in customer for the way the store looks, Hill admitted, “We really had to downsize because this space is quite a bit smaller than our old location. A friend helped me get this place cleared out and then set up. If it wasn’t for Alex, my good friend, I wouldn’t have opened when I did. He’s a jewel. He can make anything, and he helped with all this.”
Looking around wistfully, Hill makes one more confession. “This is a great location, close to the water and the boats and I’ve loved this work, but as I get older, I keep thinking about retirement. My wife and I are discussing it and it just might be time. If the right person is interested, I am open to exploring the options. This has been a great way to make a living.”
New kid in town
The area around North San Pedro Road and San Pablo Avenue in San Rafael has seen a number of changes recently, from the opening of the Bahn Mi Zon Vietnamese Gourmet, to the closing of Bogie’s Cafe, and now the Marin Star Smog, a smog check station at 77 San Pablo Ave., celebrated its first year in business. Ersin Iric, the 34-year-old owner said, “I am seeing customers who used to go to the people who were here before me, so while I didn’t buy that business, they simply moved out, this place is proving to be a good location for me.”
