Perkins Orchard celebrates 50 years in business

Once a roadside fruit stand with an honor system, one Durham produce market celebrates it's 50th birthday this year.
Posted 7/9/2020, 2:24:16 PM

>> COME AND SEE A MOVIE AT THE

OUTDOOR THEATER.

>> GO OUT AND ABOUT.

>> WELCOME TO PERKINS ORCHARDS.

THE OLDEST MARKET FROM 1970 AND

CELEBRATING OUR 50th SEASON.

A UNIQUE PLACE AND A FEW

FARMER'S MARKET FAMILY OWNED

AND OPERATED.

WE ARE ONE OF THE FEW MARKETS

OPENED EVERY DAY FROM NINE IN

THE MORNING TO LATE AT NIGHT

AND HAVE PRODUCE FROM HUNDREDS

OF FARMERS FROM SOUTH CAROLINA

AND 12 OTHER STATES AND REGIONS

ACROSS THE WORLD WHERE WE CAN'T

GET IT GROWN HERE.

MY GRANDFATHER STARTED THIS IN

1970 AS ROADSIDE FRUIT STAND

AND ONE OF THE FIRST STRUCTURES

IN SOUTH DURHAM AND HONOR

SYSTEM.

YEAR AFTER YEAR THE FRUIT STAND

IMPROVED AND I SAW INTEREST IN

IT.

WHEN HE WAS GOING TO

ESSENTIALLY RETIRE FROM IT AND

TEAR IT DOWN I STARTED TO WRITE

CHECKS AND DEVELOP

RELATIONSHIPS WITH CUSTOMERS

AND OVER TIME IT GREW AND THE

COMMUNITY RALLIED AROUND THE

BUSINESS AND WHEN I GRADUATED

FROM HIGH SCHOOL IN 2012 AND

TORE DOWN THE ORIGINAL FRUIT

STAND AND MOVED TO THE WOODED

LAND BEHIND THE HOUSE.

IT IS TRULY A MANIFESTATION OF

THE FARMERS THAT SUPPORT THE

BUSINESS AND THAT BRING IN THE

PRODUCTS AND WHEN IT IS NOT

USEFUL TO PICK IT UP OURSELVES.

THE AVERAGE CONSUMER THAT WANTS

HIGH QUALITY PRODUCE AT ANY

GIVEN TIME.

>> WE ARE KNOWN FOR THE $20

BAG.

IN THIS BAG IS A BAG FILLED TO

THE BRIM WITH ANYTHING ON THE

PRODUCE SHELVES.

BESIDES THAT ANYTHING YOU SEE

IS FAIR GAME.

PEOPLE THAT LOVE TO DO THIS AND

JUST FILL IT UP WITH AS MUCH AS

THEY CAN FOR 20 BUCKS AND A

FREE ITEM SO WE DON'T NICKEL

AND DIME OUR CUSTOMERS.

>> THE ANALYTICS ON THE POINT

OF SALES SYSTEM PAYS THE

DISTRIBUTORS TO DO WHAT WE SELL

AND MADE US A WHOLE SALE BUYER.

EVERY YEAR EIGHT MONTHS OUT OF

THE YEAR WE ARE PAYING A

MILLION DOLLARS FOR PURCHASES.

MY FARM IS NORTH OF

HILLSBOROUGH.

WE RAISE ALL OF OUR PRODUCE AND

DO OUR BREEDING AND WE HAVE

THOUSANDS OF POUNDS OF PRODUCE

AND WE PUT THE FLAVOR IN AND IT

COMES OUT AND OUR BEST SELLING

ITEM IS OUR BARBECUE HICKORY

SMOKE.

THE EASTERN STYLE THAT NORTH

CAROLINA IS WORLD-FAMOUS FOR.

BRINGING THESE FARMERS TOGETHER

IN SUCH A CENTRAL HUB AND

RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD WE

WORK FOR THE COUNTY, CITY AND

STATE AS THE AREA GREW TO MAKE

SURE THAT THIS PLACE IS

PRESERVED BOUGH WE ARE

PROVIDING A SERVICE FOR THE

COMMUNITY AND WE ARE OWNER DAY

NINE TO EIGHT.

WE HAVE A WEBSITE

PERKINSORCHARDS.COM AND WE HAVE

A LARGE FOLLOWING ON FACEBOOK

AND OUR INSTAGRAM PAGE.

JUST SEARCH PERKINS ORCHARDS

AND YOU CAN STAY UPDATED ON

PRODUCE THAT COMES IN ON A

DAILY BASIS AND THE GIVE AWAYS

WE HAVE.

WE ARE CONVENIENTLY LOCATED ONE

MILE OFF OF I-40 AND ONE MILE

FROM HIGHWAY 54 AND 55 AND IN

DURHAM.

WE LOVE TO HAVE YOU EVERY DAY.