The History of Woodlands Market

Don Santa - Owner

Don Santa's ancestors arrived in San Francisco from Italy around the turn of the century, and by 1910 they had started a grocery store called the Hyde Street Market which continued to serve the Nob Hill neighborhood for 63 years.

However, after World War II, large grocery store chains swept the country and many of smaller grocers began to struggle. Don’s father, Larry, remembering the period well, decided to join forces with his brother, Edward. Together, they moved to Marin County where, rather than continuing in the family grocery business, they opened an automotive repair business in San Rafael. Over the next 25 years they built and operated a successful business before retiring in 1983.

Don, meanwhile, had graduated from Sonoma State and gone to work as a stock broker. But after three years in the industry, he was discontent. He wanted to run his own business. It was then that Don founded what has become Woodlands Market.

Managing to borrow the money to start the business, he eventually was able to convince his father to join him. Even though his father expressed strong doubts about the wisdom of owning a highly-competitive business like a grocery store in this continuing era of national chains, they worked doubly hard to succeed. For the next two years, they worked without a day off -- running the store by day and remodeling by night.

Soon, Don recruited other members of his family to work along with him at the store. Eventually, the group included his Mom, three sisters, his wife and a brother-in-law. Don's father died unexpectedly in 1990, but he spent the last three years of his life working in a family grocery store just like his ancestors before him.

Today, Woodlands Market continues to be a family owned and operated independent grocery store; it has overcome the odds through bold thinking, community support programs and the loyalty of its local customers for which the Santa Family is immensely grateful.