Sonoma’s Fruit Basket site for sale

The property is located on a heavily trafficked approach to Sonoma and Napa Valleys and the listing agent estimates that 22,000 cars pass by each day.|

The property at 24101 Arnold Drive currently leased by the Fruit Basket open-air produce market is for sale for $5.5 million.

In addition to the familiar 5,500-square-foot open-air fruit and vegetable market are two single family homes, an 850-square-foot caretaker's unit and a 1,200-square-foot guest cottage. The 11-acre lot is comprised of four contiguous parcels and is zoned 'limited commercial.'

The property is located on a heavily trafficked approach to Sonoma and Napa valleys and the listing agent estimates that 22,000 cars pass by each day. Its neighbors include Cornerstone Sonoma, Viansa Winery, Cline Vineyards, Jacuzzi Cellars and Gloria Ferrer Caves & Vineyards.

The Arnold Drive property is owned by Jack Metallinos. The Metallinos family also owns the Plaza Center building on Sonoma Highway in front of the Sonoma Mission Inn, more commonly known as the 'Church Mouse building.' Jack Metallinos also owns All Occasions Tents in Sonoma.

The Metallinos family owned and operated both the Arnold Drive Fruit Basket No. 1 and the Sonoma Highway location No. 2 in the Springs for decades but sold both businesses in the 1980s, retaining the land on which they are situated. Marco and Gus Dalakiaris purchased the two Fruit Basket businesses in 1984 and the current owners, Joewad and Omar Homran, purchased them in 2013.

When reached by phone on Wednesday, a member of the Homran family said that they believe the Arnold Drive property had been for sale for a while and it being on the market doesn't affect their ability to do business.

'If it does sell… well, that might be a problem,' she said Wednesday, voicing some concern over the store's lack of a long-term lease.

When reached overseas on Wednesday, Metallinos referred all questions to his listing agent, Jeff Lokey of Compass. Lokey said that he just recently listed the property, and that it had previously been for sale by owner.

'It's a gorgeous property with a lot of potential,' said Lokey, who shares the listing with Charleen Price of Compass. 'I know everyone loves the Fruit Basket and I can imagine it remaining as an open air market, just modernized a bit and spruced up.'

Email Lorna at lorna.sheridan@sonomanews.com.

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