L'Italo-Americano

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2024 www.italoamericano.org 30 L'Italo-Americano F ounded in 1907, S e a t t l e ' s h i s - toric Pike Place Market attracts about 10 million tourists and local residents every year. Seventy farmers have fruit and vegetable stalls, and another 160 artists sell their handcrafted products and artwork there. And don't forget the 60 licensed buskers w h o e n t e r t a i n t h e c r o w d s year-round. In its infancy, Pike Place Market helped many Italian immigrants, as well as new- comers from other countries, get a foothold in their new country. The businesses they started were passed down from generation to genera- tion; a handful are still in operation today. One of the oldest is Sosio's Fruit and Produce, a stalwart of Pike Place Market for more than 80 years. Seventeen-year-old Sosio Manzo arrived in Seattle in 1907 from the village of Sere- na in southern Italy. His fami- ly had been chestnut farmers in Italy so Sosio did what he knew best: he started a 10- acre truck farm in South Park, just south of Georgetown. By 1909, two years after Pike Place Market opened, he was bringing his produce by horse and wagon to the market to sell. In 1943, he rented a stall i n s i d e P i k e P l a c e M a r k e t which would better feature his fruits and vegetables. He and his wife Lillian divided the duties. Sosio did the farm- ing – lettuce, celery, spinach, radishes and onions – and took care of deliveries to gro- cery stores and restaurants. Lillian ran the market stall and helped customers select the best fresh produce. Their five children helped out when they were old enough. Dan Manzo, their fourth child, joked that he was born on a lettuce crate on the floor of the market. Like his sib- lings, he spent much of his childhood and youth at Pike Place Market. Not surprising- ly, when he was ready to start his own career, he wanted a c h a n g e . H e a n d h i s w i f e m o v e d t o E v e r e t t , W a s h . , where they opened a hotel. I n 1 9 5 7 , S o s i o a n d h i s youngest son Fred rented one of the permanent high stalls at the market to increase visi- bility for their produce. But as Sosio got older, he spent less and less time there. Son Dan returned to Seattle in 1958 and the two brothers ran the stall together. After Sosio passed away at the age of 83, the business was renamed Manzo Brothers Produce. Dan retired in 2005 and his son Mark (Mario) ran the original stall while brother Dan Jr. opened a second stall that he called Sosio's Fruit a n d P r o d u c e t o h o n o r h i s grandfather. Mark Manzo retired in March 2022 after nearly 60 years in the pro- duce business. He had started when he was only 11, working weekends and summers with his father and uncle. When it closed, Manzo Brothers had e a r n e d t h e d i s t i n c t i o n o f being the oldest, continuously operated produce stand in the market. Today, Mike Osborn and Alan Stott own Sosio's Fruit and Produce. Both men are well-acquainted with Pike Place Market. Osborn began sweeping floors and cleaning up around the stalls when he was only 14. He spent 15 years as a fishmonger before he began working at Sosio's Fruit and Produce. Stott has spent his entire career selling pro- duce. After buying the business, Osborn and Stott continued to honor the same traditions that Sosio set up: sourcing produce from local growers when possible, selling the highest quality fruits and veg- etables to Seattle shoppers, and offering customer service with a smile. Nearly 100 per- cent of their business is retail. Displaying the produce is an art in itself, passed down over the years. The color, shape and texture of each item are carefully considered when stocking the bins and creating the displays. The end appearance is a show-stopper worthy of a photo. Today, shoppers at Sosio's can find more than 100 fruits and pro- duce on any given day. More than a century ago, Pike Place Market was creat- ed on the backs of the Manzo family and many other Italian immigrants. They arrived in Seattle without language skills or formal education. To make a living, they turned to what t h e y k n e w b e s t : f a r m i n g . Although the composition of Pike Place Market retailers has changed – today nearly half of the farmers are from Laos or Cambodia – it contin- ues to serve as a springboard for newcomers looking to be productive and provide a bet- ter future for their families. Sosio's: Pike Place Market favorite for 80 years RITA CIPALLA A large red neon sign helps visitors find their way to Pike Place Market — the heart and soul of Seattle (Alabastro Photography/Visit Seattle) Mike Osborn is the current co-owner of Sosio's Fruit and Produce, which was started in Pike Place Market more than 80 years ago by Sosio Manzo and his family (Photo: Pike Place Market) SEATTLE ITALIAN COMMUNITY

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