Doris Italian Market & Bakery has been proudly serving generations since 1947. Beginning as a small mom and pop meat market and deli, our market has evolved into South Florida’s premier specialty supermarket in Pembroke Pines, Sunrise, Coral Springs, Boca Raton and North Palm Beach. In this blog post, we’ll introduce you to John, one of our owners, offering you a sneak peek into what your experience will be like at Doris.
Where are you from?
I’m originally from New Jersey but I moved to Florida in 1982.
How did you get into the grocery industry?
When my parents and I moved to Florida, my father, who was a butcher, purchased the original Doris Market on Hollywood Blvd. Back then, it was just a small butcher/deli shop. I had just gotten out of high school and became the General Manager for the store. From that original store, we’ve just continued to grow and expand.
What makes you choose a specific Doris location?
There are many factors that go into choosing a location. Some of the key factors are the demographics of the area, access and visibility to the shopping center, sufficient parking for our customers, and distance from our other locations.
What sets Doris Italian Market apart from the rest?
We offer a wide variety of products that are not found at traditional grocery stores and we strive to provide our customers with personalized service. We are your neighborhood market, which is hard to find these days.
If a person has never been to Doris, what would you recommend they get?
Definitely grab a cannoli and our Italian hero sub!
What’s the best thing about having a family owned and operated business?
Doris isn’t just a “grocery store,” it has become a part of the community. We have had generations of families shop with us for the past 76 years. We love keeping the “neighborhood market environment” and passing that on to our employees and customers.
What’s the biggest factor that has helped you become successful?
Having the support of my wife and kids who all work in the business has been one of the biggest factors in our success. Over the years I’ve learned that a successful business can not be done with just one person. There is a lot involved and having people who take pride in your business as much as you do contributes to its overall success.
What are your long-term goals for Doris?
I want to continue serving our local communities for generations to come.
Do you plan to open any more locations in the future?
While we don’t have any immediate future plans of expansion, I am always open to future opportunities that are presented to us.
And finally, how has your business changed since you started it?
Doris Market started as a small butcher/deli shop. As we opened up more locations, we added more departments to accommodate our “one stop shop” mentality. Now, we have fresh produce, seafood, a bakery, prepared foods, a full-service meat department, a diverse wine selection, and so much more.
We’d love for you to check out Doris for yourself and see all the magic that John described in our interview. Learn more about our history here.