Lila Victor, Special to the Daily Press
In the summer of 2024, the more than 30-year-old Main Street convenience store formerly known as Santa Monica Farms Jr. gained new owners and a new name: Santa Monica Market. Two years later, the family-owned store launched a deli counter, carefully curating a selection of healthy, high-quality and customer-requested goods.
Owner Amarilia Pivaral and her family bought the market in a state of disrepair, requiring them to replace equipment and make numerous changes. "We saw the opportunity to work on it and bring very good stuff for the neighborhood, and little by little we started to make the changes," Pivaral said. She estimated that about 90% of the store has changed since the family acquired it two years ago.
Pivaral collaborated with chef Mark Mittleman to create a multicultural deli counter for residents, which launched in early July. Mittleman, who has more than two decades of experience in the culinary world and runs his own consulting company, Entangled Particles, crafted a menu that combines Pivaral's home country of Guatemala with his own New York heritage. Their sandwiches, salads and smoothies reflect both tradition and novelty, catering to locals and transplants alike. One example is the SMM Shuco, a Guatemalan hot dog. Mittleman put his own "Americana" spin on it with a jalapeno cheddar sausage, but the rest of the sandwich — baguette, guacamole, chimichurri, sautéed cabbage, mustard, mayonnaise and ketchup — stays faithful to the original.
The menu also features classics like the I-Tal Roast Beef, based on the Chicago Italian beef sandwich; the Short Rib, inspired by the East Coast; the crowd-favorite SMM Tuna Salad Sando; and the deli's take on the viral chicken Caesar wrap. Offerings also include a breakfast menu with sandwiches, bowls and burritos; bagels and pastries; a selection of salads; and smoothies.
Ingredient sourcing was just as important for the deli as for the rest of the store. "They've really changed the offering that was here with the previous owner," Mittleman said. "We wanted to mimic that with the deli."
"We are using more high-quality ingredients — organic, simpler, clean ingredients. That makes me happy because I know we are doing something nice and something people can trust, too," Pivaral said of her products. Classic snacks like Cheetos and chips still line the shelves, but so do fresh produce, alternative milks, protein bars, local brands, seaweed snacks and anything else a customer might need. The emphasis is on healthier eating, but Pivaral said she also wants to stock what her customers request.
The Pivaral family isn't new to store ownership. They split their time between Santa Monica and a convenience store they purchased five years ago in West Hollywood. "This is the epitome of family business and the immigrant story," Mittleman said. "It's an incredible thing to see everybody working together." Regulars are familiar with Pivaral's children, who are often at the store. When Pivaral first bought the market, her youngest was on her hip as she stocked shelves. Now her children — ages 3, 10 and 17 — work the register, greet customers and otherwise help their parents at either store.
"It's very good how they can learn about business, so they have a good idea how to run a small business. And they support me," Pivaral said.
The new owners have been welcomed by their Santa Monica neighbors, many of whom have become regulars. One customer raved about the sandwiches while picking up milk and other groceries. Others heard about the deli and came in to try it. "Everyone is so friendly. I'm feeling like we are a family," Pivaral said.
Santa Monica Market is located at 2015 Main St. and is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily.