Historic fruit market building is demolished

An old building that once housed a favorite Clovis store has been demolished to make way for a new Dollar General, according to city Building Safety Department Director Pete Wilt.

For years, 900 W. Seventh St. was the location of Alexander's Fruit Market.

"Alexander's was a bustling place," Ben Salazar said.

Salazar, congressional field representative for the area, grew up in Clovis. He was a regular customer at Alexander's.

"It was about four blocks from where I grew up to the store. My mom, my dad would send me over to buy fruits and vegetables. They had flour and I'd buy that for making tortillas," Salazar said.

Salazar said Alexander's was right across the street from the old La Casita Elementary School.

Salazar said Alexander's was a big favorite for area kids.

"They always had a good assortment of candy bars right there by the cash register," Salazar said.

Former city and county commissioner Bobby Sandoval said he remembers Alexander's as a wholesale fruit market, which also sold locally.

And Salazar remembers big semi-trucks backing up and unloading "a ton of vegetables and fruits."

"I remember they used to buy their potatoes from a potato processing plant in Lariat in Parmer County. I remember that because when my dad had summers off from working for the schools we would go work there; my dad, my two brothers and me," Salazar said.

Salazar remembers Alexander's credit system.

"Back then my dad got paid at the end of the month and Alexander's kept tabs on 3-by-5 cards. He'd get paid then he'd go there, pay what he owed and start all over again for another month."

Alexander's went out of business in the late 1960s, succeeded by Earl and Ralph's Food Market. Salazar and Sandoval both said the last business they remember operating from the building was Dave's Upholstery in the early 2000s.

"Alexander's was a great asset for the west side of the community," Salazar said.