Local vendors displayed a multitude of products, from a variety of tasty tequilas, and Malibu’s popular local beer
By Barbara Burke
Special to The Malibu Times
The vivacious crowd happily gathered to celebrate Vintage Grocery’s 10th anniversary on March 9. Young ones delighted in the face painting and the photo booth. Busy parents tried to keep track of their offspring as some of their wee ones begged for the enticing cotton candy, while others wanted to sample the free tacos.
Local vendors displayed a multitude of products available at the grocery, ranging from a variety of tasty tequilas; Malibu’s popular local beer, Sandy; samples from the local wine venue, Summer Somewhere; and plenty of complimentary food.
“Enjoy the teriyaki fried tofu from Kristy’s,” said the establishment’s bartender, Zach Trimble. “We love to support Vintage, a local business, by having our local business involved.”
Entranced by the booth’s delicious aromas, attendees were drawn to Soup du Jar, which offered several varieties of its farm-to-table soups.
“Our soups are right across from the deli and they have no artificial ingredients and no chemicals,” said Ben Koplan, whose wife, Kristi, started the company. “We have 140 types of soup available over the expanse of a year — some are meat-based, others are gluten/dairy free, and then, there’s the vegan soups and our broths. Enjoy one of these samples!”
Surveying all the mayhem stood the engaging, affable Tim Corliss, owner of Malibu Makos Surf Club, which has offered kids surf camps, birthday parties, and private surf lessons for decades. Corliss handed out bumper stickers and camp schedule information.
“This is our 34th Summer and I’m Malibu-born and raised,” Corliss said. “Kids enjoy our camps during Spring break and in the summer and we offer instruction from local lifeguards. I am proud to share our information and to come out and support Vintage. Our camps get all of our lunches from Vintage and we also serve campers the store’s delicious pizzas.”
Also focusing on the extensive collaboration between Vintage and other local businesses was Kambria Lemke, store manager for Summer Somewhere Wines, a local wine venue in Fred Segal at Cross Creek.
“Malibu businesses support other Malibu businesses,” Lemke said. “Every week at our tasting room, we feature cheese boards from Vintage and in turn, Vintage sells our wonderful wines.”
Nearby, Julie Talancon, Melissa’s Produce’s consumer engagement representative, agreed as she offered attendees free samples of delicious, fresh fruits.
“Try our pixies from Northern Ojai that just came into season as well as our new hybrid apple that just hit the market — it is from the Northeastern Atlantic area,” Talancon said. “The apples are in season until June and they’re a cross between honey crisp apples and pink lady apples.”
Attendees and Vintage employees equally enjoyed all the fun.
“Today is just the pinnacle of Vintage, which is a very happy place to be, both to work and to shop,” said a smiling Frank Milewski, a Vintage employee who was busily serving free tacos.
David Trotsky, the store’s liquor manager, heartily agreed.
“I’ve been here since we opened 10 years ago,” Trotsky said. “We’ve grown and grown since then, especially after our beautiful remodel. I manage the best liquor department in Malibu and we are a family-oriented store that offers good food at competitive prices. Come in and give it a try!”
