In 1906, William (Vito) D’Amore started selling produce by horse and buggy in Saginaw, Michigan. He sold groceries out of his home on Eddy Street to add to his selections of goods for customers. Eventually, he added a cinder block building behind the house large enough to warehouse extra produce inventory and to store two produce delivery trucks.

William (Bill) Jr. worked with his father in the produce business, selling to local customers including the Saginaw Country Club, Germania Club, Tony’s restaurants, and other retail businesses. In the mid 1940s, the family built a grocery store on the Dixie Highway in Saginaw to house Damore Grocery Store for Bill Jr.‘s brothers Joe and Mike. Their older brother Bill (William Damore II) built an extension to the grocery store in the late 1960s for his son’s (William Damore III) independent fruit market business.

William (Bill) Damore III, ventured out on his own and built his next fruit market on State Street in Saginaw Township in the early 70s. A third location was built on Bay Road in Saginaw Township in April 1975. Both locations thrived for years. Both stores were eventually sold, the last – on Bay Road – was sold to Jack’s Fruit Market in 1983. At this point, William Damore III started up a new wholesale business, built a building in Kochville Township in 1987, and sold out in 1996.

As a young boy, Andy Damore operated an independent roadside fruit and vegetable stand out in front of his father’s main store. Fourth generation and eldest of his generation, and like his great grandfather, grandfather, and father, Andy continued the wholesale business on his own for several years until an opportunity presented itself in 2003 on the brokerage side. Andy’s background in produce logistics, retail and wholesale is extensive and he remains a robust force in the distribution of produce as D’Amore Produce Solutions. He continues to nurture relationships built over years and years of business.