Part of the charm of shopping at 53rd Street’s Hyde Park Produce is to step back in time a bit to enjoy the personalized service and attention that comes from patronizing a family-owned, neighborhood business. Owner Larry Damico runs the store with three generations of his family; including his father, Lawrence Sr.; and two sons, Larry III and Anthony. He knows that due to weather, transportation, mobility issues, or time constraints, it’s not always possible or convenient for his customers to do their own grocery shopping.
With those challenges in mind and an eye to the future, Damico began a partnership with the online grocery delivery service, Mercato, in 2017. The Mercato service includes 650+ independent grocers across the country, allowing small businesses to increase their sales online and have more equal footing with larger grocery chains with the capital for their own ordering systems.
Customers can go on the Hyde Park Produce website, click on the button to order online, and select from 2,800 different products for same-day delivery. Products can be shopped by “aisle,” organized by categories such as “Breads & Bakery,” “Cheese,” “Dairy,” “Deli,” and more. There’s a $10 minimum order, and delivery times can be selected in one hour increments from 10 a.m. through 7 p.m. Most time slots have a $6.99 delivery fee, but high-traffic time slots during lunch or after work are $7.99. The site offers free delivery on your first order within a seven mile radius of the store. Customers can also order online and pick up their purchase in the store, bagged and ready to go at no extra charge. For those 60 years of age and over, Hyde Park Produce offers a 10% discount every Wednesday.
Hyde Park Produce has 120+ positive reviews on the Mercato site, with comments such as, “Your personalized attention to getting the orders correct should be commended,” “Everything was very fresh,” and “I was very pleased with attention given & promptness. I plan to use this service again. I will tell my friends about my experience.”
Damico commented, “I’ve been honored to be a part of the community since opening Hyde Park Produce in 2008. I’m glad to be filling the gap since Treasure Island closed, making sure residents have everything they need right in the neighborhood. I always enjoy seeing all my regular customers, and it’s been great getting to know the many newcomers at the store.”
Hyde Park Produce is located in Kimbark Plaza at 1226 E. 53rd Street. The store is open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
