Oldest market salesman to retire
The oldest living produce salesman on the Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market is leaving the business.
Doug OhlemeierLeonard Klinghoffer, partner and president of Klinghoffer Bros. Inc., Philadelphia, is considered the oldest living produce salesman on the Philadelphia Wholesale Produce Market. Leonard Klinghoffer, partner and president of Klinghoffer Bros. Inc., Philadelphia, said he plans to retire later this year.
Klinghoffer, 87, began working in produce in Philadelphia’s old Dock Street market during the late 1940s after he returned from military service. His father, Louis Klinghoffer, was a produce broker.
Leonard Klinghoffer is one of the few remaining market salesmen who was alive to view the openings of the old market on South Galloway St. between Packer and Pattison avenues in 1959 and the new operation on Essington Ave, which opened in June.
He said he’s impressed by all the refrigeration the new market possesses.
Beginning operations in 1988, Klinghoffer Bros. sells primarily vegetables, and focuses on onions, carrots, cabbage and peppers.
Fadi Abi-Khattar is partner.
M. Levin increases ripening capacity
M. Levin & Co., Philadelphia, was completing construction of its banana ripening rooms in late summer.
The six rooms should allow the banana and tropicals jobber to ripen 14 trailers a week, or slightly less than 14,000 cartons a week, said Mark Levin, co-owner.
Levin’s older operation across the street from the old wholesale market on Pattison Ave. handled up to 36,000 boxes a week. Although in numbers, the new ripening rooms’ capacity seems lower than the older operation’s, Levin said he plans to use the new rooms for ripening avocados and thus benefit from the added capacity.
The change means Levin plans to ripen 36,000 boxes between the two operations, he said.
Levin also plans to eventually renovate its older warehouse operation, which he intends to use primarily for storage, he said.
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