Location & Contact
1234 Highland Way, Grover Beach
(805) 481-2456
History
The Okui Strawberry N Fruit Stand story begins in 1948, when Japanese American Charlie Sakamoto began to grow berries on a five acre farm. Today, Charles Okui, the grandson of Charlie Sakamoto, manages their farm, which grows 30 acres of strawberries and 150 acres of mixed vegetables. Charles says the coastal fog over the Central Coast is the secret to these sweet and juicy strawberries.
Produce Selection
The farm is most well-known for their strawberries; however, they sell a variety of other produce, including
Cauliflower,
Blueberries,
Broccoli,
Avocados,
Lemons,
Oranges,
Flowers,
Sugar snap peas,
Tomatoes
All items are locally grown, either from their farm, or imported from other areas on the central coast. For more information on price details, please call the fruit stand at (805) 481-2456.
Coronavirus Impact
The employee I spoke to said sales are still going well; however they have seen a decline in tourists and out of town customers. Nevertheless, central coast residents are supporting them and helping them to keep going during this difficult time.
Business Modifications
The fruit stand opened two weeks ago, but the fruit stand has needed to modify the way they run their business in order to meet the needs of the community during this trying time. In previous seasons, customers were allowed to physically pick out their items; however, the front of the stand is now modified. There is plexiglass which separates the customers and employees. Instead, customers may point to pick out their items. Then, the employees, who wear face masks and gloves, bag their items and hand it to them. Additionally, they have disinfectant wipes and hand sanitizer on hand to ensure cleanliness. Lastly, there are markers to help with social distancing between customers while they wait in line.
A couple of days after they opened, San Luis Obispo resident Dianne Van Wyk Inman visited their stand and said, “staff was very kind and careful, the stand set up is very safe! Berries are always so good!! Worth the drive from SLO 🍓🍓🍓”
Strawberry Tips
The employee I spoke to said her favorite way to prepare strawberries is to simply wash and cut them, then eat them plain, or with whipped cream.
Closing Statement
Farmers like Okui’s Strawberry N Fruit Stand are doing all they can to stay open for their customers. Come support them during this unprecedented time. Their strawberries can also be found in Talley Farms Fresh Harvest Box. Even better, support two local farms at the same time!
Cheers,
Emily & Talia
Comments