When Petaluma Grocery shut down Main Street (a.k.a. The Boulevard)

It was 1941 when a group of business men, Raymond Chin Hing, Alfred Yee, Peter Gee and Eugene Wong, pooled their money to open Petaluma Grocery across from the Union Hotel on Main Street, which today is Petaluma Boulevard. It quickly became a community staple, due in no small part to its low prices.

The owners bought in bulk to keep costs down, which was not a common practice at the time. The grocery store was also known for hosting regular contests and specials to get customers in the door. Shoppers were given a raffle ticket for the chance to win a bushel of apples or a hamhock on the next visit, which ensured customers came back to check their ticket.

This practice caused a small pandimonium in 1947, when the store hosted its sixth anniversary party. With the promise of merry-go-rounds, giveaways, live music and even a visit from Santa Claus, hundreds of Petalumans came out to party, briefly shutting down the street.

Through the 1950s and ‘60s, the store sponsored a variety of youth sports teams. The Hing family eventually bought out the business from other owners. Both Raymond and his wife, Martha Hing, were active in nonprofit organizations and service clubs around town. Upon her death in 1991, Martha was recognized as one of the original Petaluma Valley Hospital volunteers.