Market History
Corralitos Market & Sausage Company
A 19th-Century History
Corralitos Market’s roots go back to the late 1880s. It was originally located about a block down the street from where it currently sits today. In the 1940s, the present building was constructed and was called Corralitos Cash Store.
“Why do I Need a Grocery Cart?”
The store went through a name change in the 1940s. Jim and Barbara Prendergast purchased the Corralitos Cash Store and renamed it Corralitos Market. They remodeled the store’s inside and added new features, eventually including a $30,000 freezer system. They brought in grocery carts and tried to get the customers to use them. It took a long time for them to get used to the carts. Customers still wanted to come up to the counter and have items brought to them.
From Corralitos Cash Store to Corralitos Market
Joe Cutler was the new postmaster of Corralitos in the 1950s, when the post office opened a branch at the Corralitos Cash Store. In 1956, Joe approached Corralitos Market owners Jim and Barbara Prendergast and asked to rent out the country store’s smokehouse which hadn’t been used for years. Joe’s uncle, David Bahrs, had smoking and meat curing experience and shared his experience with Joe by personally tutoring him. Joe then fired up the smokehouse and started producing amazingly-good smoked sausages and smoked meats.
Joe Cutler Brings “Sausage” to Corralitos Market
Not too long afterwards, in 1957, Joe Cutler took over the operations. He changed the name to Corralitos Market and Sausage Company, to reflect the addition of the many smoked products they produced, which people — near and far— have enthusiastically enjoyed for almost 70 years. Thanks Joe!
A Tradition of Excellence Lives on
Joe’s daughter, Jonne Tartala, has been working at the market, in one capacity or another, since since the early 1960s. As she puts it, ”I came to work when I was 15-and-a-half and never left!”
More Tradition
Dave Peterson and Ken Wong have been working at the market since the mid-1970s. Dave became a shareholder of Corralitos Market in 1992, with Ken joining in as a shareholder years later. Jonne’s nephew, smokehouse manager Jeff Christensen, has more than 20 years under his belt at the market.
Corralitos Meat and Sausage Company specializes in manufacturing their own fresh and smoked meat products including: ham, bacon, sausages, jerky, beef sticks, smoked salmon, and more. Fresh beef, pork, lamb, chicken and turkey are also sold. They also feature marinated cuts of beef, pork, and chicken. They manufacture over thirty types of fresh and smoked sausages. Oh, and if you’re a fan of beef jerky, you must try the market’s superb offerings!
Give the Gift of Meat
Standard gift packs for any occasion are available in two sizes. Custom gift packages can be ordered during off-season. They can ship most of their products within the United States. Contact them for a brochure and/or price list. Phone (831) 722-2633 or Fax (831) 722-4505.