Vera Cash Market

Every older Peninsula neighbourhood has a corner store that outlasts the chains, and on Vera Avenue in Redwood City that store is Vera Cash Market, at number 400, in a residential pocket a few blocks off El Camino Real. Chamber records list Sanjit Sarao as owner and give 1987 as the year the business was established. The details here come from public business records; the owner has not yet reviewed them.

What a market like this stocks

Independent grocery stores of this size in San Mateo County usually carry the everyday basics: milk, eggs, bread, produce, canned and packaged goods, snacks, soft drinks, and a cold case of beer and wine, often with a spirits selection behind the counter. Many also run a small deli counter for sandwiches and hot food, which is what turns a convenience stop into a lunch stop for nearby workers.

Expect a narrower range than a supermarket and longer hours than one. The value of a store like this is that it is two minutes away, open early and late, and run by people who know the regulars. Prices on staples are typically close to the big stores; specialty items cost more but save the drive.

Tips for shoppers

If you are after something specific, phone first rather than assume. Ask whether the store takes EBT and which cards it accepts, since small markets sometimes set a minimum for card purchases. If there is a deli, ask what time hot food is ready and whether you can order ahead for a group. Lottery, money orders and bill payment are common add-on services at Peninsula markets; ask which ones are offered here.

Nearby and around

Regulars come from Redwood City itself, with San Carlos, Menlo Park, Atherton, Belmont, Woodside, Palo Alto and San Mateo within a short drive. Vera Avenue sits in the middle of San Mateo County, between the Caltrain corridor and the hills, close to the Woodside Road interchange on US 101.

Phone 650-366-6703. If this is your store, the chamber can hand you the listing to correct hours, stock and services at no charge.