Download - Albany Colonie Regional Chamber of Commerce

Fruits of laborRyan’s Farmers Market takesfresh approach to sellingproduceThe apple doesn’t fall far from the treein Mike Ryan’s family. Neither do thecherries, peaches or bananas.As the proprietor of Ryan’s FarmersMarket in Albany, Ryan is followingin the footsteps of his grandfather andfather, carrying on a tradition that goesback nearly 100 years by providing freshproduce to Capital Region shoppers.Many are loyal customers who keepcoming back for more of the fruits andvegetables they desire, while reminiscingabout the history of this third-generationfamily-owned business.“It’s very important for me to talkto as many customers as I can,” Ryansaid. “They like what we’ve done for thisarea for nearly 100 years. A lot of mycustomers remember my dad and lovetelling stories about him.”The history of W.F. Ryan Producedates back to the early 1900s, when Ryan’sgrandfather, Bill Sr., brought in produce tosell wholesale to area restaurants.“My grandfather had a stall in theLyon Block, where the Times UnionCenter is now located,” Ryan said. “Therewere vendors and farmers out front, andeverybody knew my grandfather. That’sone reason it’s followed me, because everygeneration knows the Ryan’s for fruits andvegetables.”W.F. Ryan Produce had a storeon Hackett Avenue before moving toHerkimer Street during the 1950s. “Mygrandfather’s store was very well takenMike Ryan sells more than 360 different items, including produce from 12 to 15 local farmerscare of in the neighborhood, and peoplelooked out for him,” Ryan said.In 1978, the business moved toRailroad Avenue Extension, and Ryan’sfather introduced a concept that remainsin effect to this day.“He opened up packages of producefor shoppers to pick through, like you’dsee on a farm,” Ryan said. “People wouldcome from all over, and they liked the ideathat they could pick out one lime, if that’sall they wanted. My dad always had thatpersonal touch, and we do, as well.”With Ryan’s mother deciding to retireearlier this year, Ryan decided to continuehis family’s tradition and keep the familybusiness in operation.“We closed the business as W.F.Ryan Produce and reopened as Ryan’sFarmers Market in January,” Ryan said.“Even though we’ve been around for somany years, the farmer’s market themehas brought so much more business toour establishment. It’s at least doublewhat we’d done in the past. People havebeen coming back to us, new people havediscovered us, and we’re happy about it.”Fresh approachRyan’s carries more than 360 differentitems, with produce coming in from 12 to15 local farmers and several dozen farmersacross the country. “We get produceprimarily from New York farmers;anywhere there’s good product, that’swhere Ryan’s is going to buy,” Ryan said.Name a fruit or vegetable, andyou’ll likely find it at Ryan’s. They carryblueberries, strawberries and cherries…corn on the cob, green peppers andyellow squash…and a host of other freshproduce.There’s farm-to-market produce fromYonder Farms, Engel’s Farm and MarianiFarms; organic products from Boar’sHead, Heartland Meadows and ApplegateFarms; and dressings from Old Cape Cod,Annie’s and Theresa’s.Miss Sydney’s recipes, originating inthe foothills of the Helderberg Mountains,are produced under the supervision ofinternational award winning Chef A.J.Jayapal. One product, Indu’s Chutney, isnamed after Jayapal’s mother, Indu, whojust happened to be shopping at Ryan’s ona recent Wednesday morning.She’s been a loyal customer fordecades and knows she’ll find what shecame for every time she shops at Ryan’s.“I’ve shopped here since 1985, when I firstcame to Albany from India,” Indu Jayapalsaid. “I come here for vegetables, such aspickled cucumbers, carrots and beans, andI get my fruit here also.”A fellow shopper, Margaret Assini,lives in Watervliet but has been shopping atRyan’s for many years, as well. The selectionSeptember 2010 | VISIONS | 15