Sunday World-Journal

OMAHA, NEB., MAY 12, 1974. SECTION F-22 PAGES.

Douglas County Historical Society

Toda

Monaco, left, and Vitale. . . Last of the produce dealers.

Old Market 'Kings' Only Ones Left

Photo and Story

By Sebl Brecl

Signs on business fronts in the Old Market mark theaters, bars, restaurants and unusual shops.

One sign appears to be a remnant of the past. It is on a building occupied by the Monaco & Vitale Fruit Co., 501 South Eleventh Street, the sole survivor of the once-thriving fresh produce business in the district. The business is in its 40th year in the same location.

Sam Monaco and his partner, Joe Vitale, say they are "the last of the market kings."

"When I started as a truck driver and salesman with John Russo in the early 1930s there were fruit and vegetable clearing houses everywhere," said Monaco. "And there were businesses that had been in operation for 40 or more years before I got here."

"Now we're the only ones left. And,

believe it or not, not only do the farmers want us to stay in business but also the business owners around us, including the landlord, because we are that link with the past—the real Old Market."

Monaco, who took over ownership after Russo retired in 1948, said that the volume of business was "too much for one man," so he offered Vitale, a long-time friend, a partnership about nine years ago.

"I sold fruit and vegetables for years in one of the stalls when the City Farmers' Market at Eleventh and Jackson Streets was in its heyday," said Vitale. "But I could see signs it was to be closed down, so I accepted Sam's offer. That was the best move I ever made."

The partners said "there is no such thing as dividing the work."

"What has to be done, we do. We both pitch in, whether it's loading or unload- ing a truck, slacking fruit or vegetables

or handling paperwork," said Monaco.

"Right now we are in the midst of the rush when vegetables are flowing in from Arkansas and greenhouses are shipping in hundreds of boxes of bed-ding plants, such as pepper, tomatoes, eggplants, in addition to dozens of varieties of flowers."

Monaco said that he gets calls every year from farmers who want to know if the business is going to be open the next season. "I always answer the same: 'I will stay open until I'm too old and have to quit,'" Monaco said.

The partners said they handle crops brought in by growers working acreages in West and South Omaha, Irvington, Schuyler and Lincoln. Several truck in produce from Crescent, Ia. Fresh fruit and vegetables are sold to stores in Omaha and the surrounding area, they said. Many plants and flowers are sold to Old Market-area shoppers.

# KEY FOR THE GREATER OMAHA & DOWNTOWN OMAHA MAP

*See maps on reverse side*

## GREATER OMAHA MAP

### ATTRACTIONS

① AKSARBEN

② Czechoslovak Museum

③ El Museo Latino

④ Florence Mill

⑤ Fontenelle Forest

⑥ Freedom Park

⑦ Fun Plex

⑧ General Crook House

⑨ Gerald Ford Birthsite

⑩ Girls & Boys Town

⑪ Great Plains Black Museum

⑫ Henry Doorly Zoo/IMAX

⑬ Historic Florence

⑭ Joslyn Castle

⑮ Mahoney State Park

⑯ Mallory Kountze Planetarium

⑰ Mormon Trail Center

⑱ Nebraska Jewish Historical Society & Riekes Museum

⑲ Omaha Botanical Gardens

⑳ Omaha Community Playhouse

㉑ River City Star Riverboat

㉒ Rosenblatt Stadium

㉓ Strategic Air & Space Museum

㉔ Wildlife Safari

### SHOPPING

㉕ Borsheim's Fine Jewelry

㉖ Countryside Village

㉗ Crossroads Mall

㉘ Nebraska Crossing

㉙ Nebraska Furniture Mart

㉚ Oak View Mall

㉛ One Pacific Place

㉜ Regency Court

㉝ Rockbrook Village

㉞ Southroads Mall

㉟ Westroads Mall

### LODGING

㉙ Baymont Inn

㉚ Candlewood Hotel

㉛ Clarion Hotel Executive Center

㉜ Comfort Inn at the Zoo

㉝ Comfort Inn Hotel & Suites

㉞ Comfort Inn of Omaha

㉟ Country Inn & Suites West

㉪ Crowne Plaza Old Mill

㉫ Days Hotel Carlisle

㉬ DoubleTree Guest Suites

㉭ Econo Lodge I-80

㉮ Econo Lodge West Dodge

㉯ Four Points Hotel

㉰ Hampton Inn Central

㉡ Hampton Inn SW

㉡ Hampton Inn Westroads

㉢ Hawthorn Suites Hotel

㉣ Holiday Inn Central

㉤ Holiday Inn Express – Downtown Omaha

㉥ Holiday Inn Express Hotel & Suites

㉦ Homewood Suites

㉧ Howard Johnson Hotel

㉨ La Quinta Inn Omaha

㉪ Mormon Trail Motel

㉫ Motel 6

㉬ Motel 89

㉭ Omaha Marriott Hotel

㉮ Park Inn Regency Lodge

㉯ Quality Inn Central

㉰ Ramada Inn Airport

㉱ Ramada Limited Suites

㉲ Red Lion

㉳ Relax Inn

㉔ Residence Inn by Marriott

㉕ Satellite Motel

㉖ Settle Inn & Suites

㉗ Sleep Inn at the Airport

㉘ StudioPLUS

㉙ Super 8 Ak-Sar-Ben

㉚ Super 8 West Dodge

㉛ Super 8 West L

㉜ Townhouse Inn

㉝ Travelodge Cornhusker Inn & Suites

㉞ Travel Inn

㉟ Wyndham Garden Hotel

### BED & BREAKFASTS

㉙ JC Robinson House

㉚ Riverview Garden

㉛ The Cornerstone

## DOWNTOWN OMAHA MAP

### ATTRACTIONS

① Bemis Center for Contemporary Arts

② Civic Auditorium

③ Durham Western Heritage Museum

④ Gene Leahy Mall

⑤ Heartland of America Park

⑥ Joslyn Art Museum

⑦ Old Market

⑧ Omaha Children's Museum

⑨ Orpheum Theater

⑩ The Rose

### LODGING

⑪ Best Western Redick Plaza Hotel

⑫ Courtyard by Marriott

⑬ DoubleTree Hotel

⑭ Economy Inn

⑮ Embassy Suites

⑯ Hilton Gardens Hotel (opening December 2001)

⑰ Sheraton Omaha Hotel

⑱ YMCA

## MAP OF THE OLD MARKET

COURTESY OF THE GREATER OMAHA
CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU
www.visitomaha.com/866-YES-OMAHA