The property at 1900 Market Avenue is a 2715 Sq. ft. commercial structure built in 1946 on a 5940 Sq. ft. lot and located in the San Pablo neighborhood in San Pablo. Is this your neighborhood store? If so, how long have you been a customer?

Today, known as Chico's Market, it was formerly known for the longest as Harold's Market and is located on the corner of 19th & Market Avenue near Post Street in San Pablo. This market, although it has gone through various owners and name changes, has been in business since 1946.

The market was once owned by William Harold Howell, a native of Oklahoma who settled in Richmond after the War. He was an Army veteran discharged on 24 Sept 1946. He formed a partnership with Bryl Tupper, a native of Oregon who also settled in Richmond and was a butcher by trade.

William Harold Howell sold Harold's Market to Albert James & Helen Yew Wong of San Francisco in Oct 1962 and it became, Al's Market until 1966. Sooner after, it becomes Harold's Market again until the late 1990s. It changed name and ownership again DBA Chico's Market and is still in operation at the same location. 

Locals praise and highly recommend this small neighborhood market for its good selection of product, fresh foods and great customer service. There was also a taqueria in-house known simply as "Chico's Tacos" offering authentic Mexican street tacos with original recipes, unfortunately, it has recently closed. 

Categorized under Independent Grocery Stores, records show Chico's was established in 2001, with Abdo Saif as Branch Manager.

This little neighborhood grocery market started out as the Consumer's Co-Operative Market of Richmond, Inc. in 1946. In 1951, the name changed and became a partnership, DBA Harold & Glenn's Market (although still owned by the Cooperative of Richmond).

In June 1952, William Harold Howell and Byrl Harold Tupper purchased the business known as Consumer's Co-Operative Market of Richmond. They are now DBA "Harold & Bryl's Market." The market has a quality meat department with Archie Phelps as butcher. All goes well until Feb 1953 when the Meat Cutters and Butcher's Union, Local 120, picket Harold & Bryl's Market with a complaint that the butcher's hours at the market are not union hours, despite the fact it's not a union meat market. Later on, Harold filed an application for off-sale beer and wine in 1956. Although there was not a photo available for William Howell, there is one of Byrl from a 1949 article, seen here at the lower left.

Recently, the city of San Pablo scheduled a community clean-up event starting at Chico's Market.

"Join our Neighborhood Champion, Eliot Miller, for a community cleanup event in the “Old Town” neighborhood on Saturday, June 8, 2024. We will meet at 1900 Market Ave (in front of Chico’s Market) and cleanup from Chico’s Market all the way to Davis Park. Cleanup supplies and snacks will be provided for volunteers. Please wear close-toed shoes and bring a reusable water bottle. The event will happen rain or shine."

The market also has a social media presence, but it hasn't been updated lately. https://www.facebook.com/chicosmarketsanpablo