Big John’s Pacific Food Importers (PFI) is a local, niche, grocery store located on the corner of Rainier and Dearborn street, in the once demographically Greek and Italian neighborhood called Garlic Gulch. The businesses started from the back of (Big) John Croce’s trunk of his car selling olive oil in 1966, but officially opened a store in 1971, around the corner from their current location. Big John’s has been family owned for three generations, now run by Croce’s son, daughter, and granddaughter. Imports are heavily from Greece and Italy, though over the years, Big John’s has started importing from the rest of Europe and all over the world.
Old grunge music plays when you enter the warmly lit store with stocked aisles of jars and cans with boxes stacked on top of each other. Continuing the wander in, friendly staff behind the checkout counter welcome customers to the establishment. From authentic pasta, sauce, and pizza dough to fancy olive oil, chocolates, and a fun tea collection, you’ll find many items that will pique curiosity. Each staff member is equipped with knowledge in different areas of the store. David Ladik, the cheesemonger of Big John’s, said his co-worker, Paris Siris, “can tell you about olive oil better than anyone else,” and “there’s different people there for the whole upstairs baking section.”
A short line of customers are formed in the middle of the store with numbered paper tags in hand. “Cheese is probably about… twenty five percent of our business,” Ladik said as he works behind the counter serving and forming connections with buyers. Initially, the cost of goods in the store might, “seem expensive, but you’ll find they’re like ten to twenty percent cheaper than if you go to the Murray’s cheese counter [at] Fred Meyer or… maybe even twenty five to thirty percent cheaper if you went to some of the fancier high end supermarkets.”Ladik said. A lot of their cheeses are sourced from “small makers; they’re not like coming from a factory… When you taste that cheese, there’s a personality to it.” Ladik stated. Because of the generosity of Ladik and Siris, many samples of high end cheeses and cured meat were eaten. Next to the cheese counter are bean dispensers and flour and rice and in the back of the store holds imported biscuits, chocolates, candies, bowls, plates, jams, and more.
For those in need of a specific ingredient for a recipe, looking for quality fare, or looking to try authentic food from different cultures, Big John’s PFI is a great business to visit. There was not one item disliked. Another half hour was spent outside Big John’s chowing down prosciutto, Italian chocolates, and two different types of cheeses. If you spot fellow classmates at Big John’s after school, just know that is soon your fate. Thank you to the wonderful staff who add so much personality to the store by providing a brief of the shop and the generous samples.
