Steve's Produce Thrives Despite Tough Economy

When Trias Paschopoulos came to Florida from Toronto in 1984 and opened his first produce stand, all he had was his family, $300 and a beat-up station wagon.

Today, Paschopoulos, who goes by Steve, has a thriving produce stand on Alternate U.S. 19 in Palm Harbor and a 32-foot delivery truck, and he has paid back the $200 loan he used to get started.

Oh, and he still has his family, too.

, which relocated from Tampa Road to its current location in 1992, is now owned and operated by Paschopoulos' son, Markos. The eldest Paschopoulos son, Steve, also works there full time, and the patriarch is still present on a regular basis.

In other words, Steve's Produce is a family affair.

How has the family has managed to not only survive for nearly three decades in a tough economic climate, but also thrive despite stiff competition from chain grocers and specialty stores? Palm Harbor Patch sat down with Markos Paschopoulos to find out.

What do you think the key to your long-term success has been?

It took a while to find success. ... We built the business slowly.

My father instilled a solid work ethic in us at a very young age, and he wouldn't settle for anything but the best — the best service and the best products. The customers responded to that dedication right from the start, and they have been supporting us ever since.

How have you managed to thrive while other small businesses have been forced to close due to the economy? 

Business was very good for many years after we started, but when the economy tanked three years ago, we knew that in order to compete with the Walmarts and big supermarkets, we had to offer better products at lower prices.

We added a deli two years ago that serves Boar's Head meats $1 cheaper per pound than our competition, and that has helped our average ticket price rise from $5-$6 to $14-$15. We also get nothing but the best products, and we're not afraid to throw out anything that could be considered spoiled. 

What's it like being involved in a family-owned small business?

I love this business. I knew at a young age this is what I wanted to do, so there was never any question what field I would go into. I was unloading the trucks and going to the markets with my dad when I was 8 years old.

Now I get up at 2 a.m. and go to Tampa to pick out the best product. So this is all I've ever known, and all I want to do. The fact that I get to do it alongside my father and brother makes it even better.

What would you say your most popular items are?

We sell a lot of chicken breasts — about 640 pounds per week. We sell it for $1.99 a pound, so it really flies out of here.

The Boar's Head line has done really well for us, although we don't do deli sandwiches any more. And vine-ripe tomatoes are extremely popular with our customers. We sell about 3,600 pounds of them per week.

But we also have people who just come in for our homemade sausages, our meats. ... We've got over 2,000 items total, and many of them do well.

You have some customers who have been with you since 1982. Is there a Paschopoulos family secret that keeps them coming back?

Our goal has always been to bring in as much product for our customers as we can. Specialty items, hard to find produce, etc. ... People always loved that about us, that we try to figure out a way to satisfy them.

And we don't settle for inferior product. My motto has always been, "If I'm not gonna feed it to my kids, why would I feed it to yours?"

If it wasn't for our customers, we wouldn't be where we are today.

Where: 515 Alternate U.S. 19, Palm Harbor

Phone: 727-787-2647

Hours: 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Friday; 8 a.m.-6:30 p.m. Saturday, 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Sunday