The St. Aubin family has operated Fruit City for 45 years. Lynn and Jr. St. Aubin currently run the fruit business. Chris Thorn photo

Opened for business in 1966

By CHRIS THORN

Some say a trade or skill runs in the genes and that sure seems to be the case for Lynn and Jr. St. Aubin, the owners of Fruit City in Union Gap.

Andre and Sue St. Aubin opened Fruit City in 1966 in Union Gap before handing the reigns over to their sons in the 90s.

“They opened it to create a good business,” Lynn said of his parents.

“When they set it up originally, this was the freeway before Interstate 82 got built,” Jr. added.

Back in those days Lynn and Jr. were young boys and said they remember spending a good chunk of their time at the family business. They said some of their long-time customers have told them they remember when they used to wrestle around with each other as kids.

Those days have long past and now the brothers have established themselves as a significant place to purchase some of the finest produce in the valley.

Jane Butler-Nix, a frequent shopper at Fruit City, said she has been coming there since 1994.

“They are the best deal in the valley,” she said.

Lynn and Jr. said one of the reasons people have come back again and again is due to the knowledge they have and the way they treat people.

“We can answer any question,” they said. “Everyone gets one-on-one customer service, that’s what we’re about.”

The brothers said they also give back to the community as often as they can. One of the ways the have supported the valley over the years is to donate produce to the National Night Out, which occurred August 2.

According to the National Night Out website the event is designed to heighten crime and drug prevention awareness, generate support for, and participation in, local anti-crime programs, strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships, and send a message to criminals letting them know that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back. Many police departments in the valley support National Night Out.

As far as the crop goes this season the St. Aubin brothers said everything is producing well but is coming a couple weeks late. They said they usually expect local corn around July 4 but this year it was two to three weeks late.

However, the brothers assured that all produce will make it this season.

Fruit City is located at 4110 Kroum Road in Union Gap, the same location they’ve had for 45 years. They are open seven days a week from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. from the mid-April until Halloween. They are also open during the holiday season as they sell Douglas fir trees.

For more information visit www.fruitcityyakima.com or call (509) 453-2726.