Berkeley Bowl

Berkeley Bowl

Company type	Private
Industry	Grocery retail
Founded	1977 (1977)
Founder	Glenn Yasuda, Diane Yasuda
Headquarters	Berkeley, California , United States
Area served	Berkeley, California
Key people	Gen Yasuda (current management)
Products	Organic and natural groceries, fresh fruits and vegetables
Number of employees	250 (2002)

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File:Berkeley Bowl.jpg

The produce area inside Berkeley Bowl.

Berkeley Bowl operates as an independent grocery store located in Berkeley, California. Established by Glenn and Diane Yasuda, the store is recognized for offering organic and natural items, with a particular emphasis on a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. In 2008, the Los Angeles Times described it as "[Berkeley]'s most popular grocery store" and highlighted it as "one of the nation's foremost purveyors of exotic produce." The company currently runs two outlets within the city.

The name "Berkeley Bowl" originates from the building’s previous use as a bowling alley, which was converted into the initial store location.

History

In 1977, Glenn and Diane Yasuda launched a modest neighborhood grocery in a repurposed structure that had once been a bowling alley at 2777 Shattuck Avenue. At that time, Glenn was employed as a business education instructor at a local college. By the late 1990s, the original site had become inadequate for the expanding operation, leading to a relocation in 1999 to a renovated former Safeway supermarket at 2020 Oregon Street.

Labor organizers sought to unionize Berkeley Bowl’s workforce of approximately 250 employees beginning in 2002. Following several disputes, in 2004 the National Labor Relations Board charged the company with "widespread and significant" labor violations that obstructed a fair union election. That same year, an agreement was reached wherein Berkeley Bowl recognized the United Food and Commercial Workers union as employee representatives and compensated two workers who alleged wrongful termination without reinstating them.

In 2008, John Glionna, a journalist for the Los Angeles Times, published an article containing some critical remarks about Berkeley Bowl. Following this publication, Glionna was permanently banned from entering the store.

The company expanded in 2009 by opening a second store called Berkeley Bowl West. However, after an employee vote in 2010, the union representation was dissolved.

Glenn Yasuda passed away in 2020 at age 85. Following his death, management of both Berkeley stores was assumed by his son Gen.

External links

• Official website