Business & Tech
Then & Now: Mill Valley Market
The grocery stores that preceded it at 12 Corte Madera Ave. changed names several times before it moved in, but Mill Valley Market has remained a constant in downtown for decades.
Change has been a constant among downtown Mill Valley businesses, especially with the recent economic downturn. But as businesses continue to open and close around, remains the anchor of downtown, and it's been that way for decades.
Located in the heart of downtown at Corte Madera and Throckmorton avenues, the market is filled with history, charm, a renowned produce section and specialty sections like its wine and beer departments.
Today, the store is run by Doug and Dave Canepa, the third generation of their family to do so. Frank Canepa opened his produce shop in 1929 at a little store where the current resides, and within a couple of years that shop became Mill Valley Market. Frank co-owned the store for a number of years, and in the 1940's, he bought out his partner, Ambrose Pialchi, and became sole owner.
Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.
Frank Canepa eventually passed the business to his son, Jim, who later shared ownership of the market with Joe Morello. In 1974, Morello sold his share of the company to Bob Canepa, Jim's brother. Jim and Bob Canepa owned and ran Mill Valley Market from 1974 to the early 1990's when Jim Canepa retired and passed his share over to his sons Doug and Dave Canepa.
In 2006, Bob Canepa retired, passing his share on to Doug and Dave. As the years have passed, the co-ownership has changed and evolved. The one remaining constant is the name of the Canepa family. They started the Mill Valley Market, and are still running the show, with Dave and Doug at the helm.
Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.
The current location has been the home of the Mill Valley market since 1955. Needing more space, it moved there in 1955 from the Hat Box building. Before it became home to Mill Valley Market, the building had already been a string of other grocery stores.
The Then photo below was the Green Frog, which was in this location from the 1940's until 1955. Before the Green Frog, it was the Quality Market in the 1930's and the Tamalpais Market in the 1920's, Before that, around 1910, it was a French Laundry cleaning market.
Despite the turnover all around it in recent years and increased competition from places like , Mill Valley Market keeps ticking.
