A 54-year-old independent Bay Area grocery store closed earlier this month after new landlords allegedly doubled its rent.

The Sonoma Valley Fruit Basket No. 1, at 24101 Arnold Drive, closed on March 2 after its rent was allegedly raised to $11,000, according to a post by Tony Homran on Nextdoor. Homran is not listed as an owner but is likely related to owners Joewad and Foaz Homran.

"Good evening to all my local Sonoma valley family neighbors just wanted to inform you guys that I am heartbroken because we had to close fruit basket one on Arnold drive today and it hurts me," Homran wrote on Nextdoor. "It was like my baby but part of life."

Original owner John Metallinos opened the open-air produce market in 1972. His family ran the store, where legions of fresh fruits and vegetables sat out front and were visible from the road, until the land was put up for sale in 2019, according to the Press Democrat. Two years later, it was sold to real estate developer Ken Mattson. When Mattson was arrested in 2025 on suspicion of defrauding investors, the Sacramento-based Socotra Capital took over ownership of the property.

SFGATE reached out to the Homran family but did not hear back before the time of publication.

Patty Ciuca, who works at the neighboring Sonoma Country Antiques, said the closure was "shocking."

"A lot of people would come up from the city, like going to Napa, and it would be part of their regular stop," Ciuca told SFGATE in a phone interview. "I've worked [at Sonoma Country Antiques] for many, many years and they always had the best feta cheese that I would often get for lunch. It's a big loss for this area."

People in the comments section of Nextdoor shared similar sentiments.

"I don't understand why building owners want to drive out long time family owned businesses by increasing the rent to the point it is insane," Jennifer Marshall wrote. "Arnold Fruit basket was my first Sonoma experience back in the 1980's long before I moved to Sonoma in 1991. It was the non fruit things such as the European cookies and crackers that I would pick up."

The store has a second location, Sonoma Valley Fruit Basket No. 2, at 18474 along Highway 12 that's about 15 minutes away.

"That's the thing that really hurts me that it has so much history behind it, that all these corporate people don't care nothing," Tony wrote.

More Food News

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This article originally published at 54-year-old Bay Area grocer forced to close after landlord allegedly doubled rent.