Recent college graduate Carly Gandolfo runs Grand Avenue business on property long owned by her grandfather
A new market recently opened in Los Olivos — the Gandolfo Family Market and Deli. It is jointly owned by brothers Greg and Dave Gandolfo, whose father, Charles, has owned the property on Grand Avenue for over 50 years. During that time, he leased it out to a variety of people, as he had no interest in it other than being a landlord.
The previous lessee had a convenience store for 14 years, and during that time, the family had talked about starting a business as a family. So, when their lease ran out, the Gandolfos decided it was time to open up a family market, and they had a ready and willing family member to run the new business — Carly Gandolfo, the store manager, who is the daughter of Dave Gandolfo. She graduated from San Diego State University in 2022 with a degree in hospitality.
The Gandolfos were longtime residents of Santa Barbara, dating back generations, and of the Santa Ynez Valley.
At 84, Charles, the family’s patriarch, was born in Santa Barbara as were several generations before him. His ancestors were from Sestri Levante, (Genoa) Italy. He and his wife, Bea, have been married for 65 years and raised three sons, John, David, and Greg, in the Valley. Charles owned a construction company and built eight of the original wineries in the Valley, including Gainey and Roblar.
“My dad [Dave] was raised in the Valley, met my mom, Jayme, at Cal Poly, married and moved to Idaho, and started a dairy farm. So, I was born and raised in Idaho, but went to college in San Diego,” said Carly Gandolfo. “My parents still live in Idaho on their cattle ranch, but my dad visits the store every month to see how things are going.”
Carly is thrilled to be a resident of the Valley.
“Moving to California was always a dream of mine, having spent a month every summer visiting my grandparents here in the Valley,” she said. “I loved San Diego, but I never felt like it was home. The Valley feels like home because everything that I love about San Diego and Idaho, I found here in the Valley. It’s Western, it’s coastal, and it’s a small town; everything I love, plus my family is here.”
Carly has been in the area for a little more than a year.
“I moved to the Valley in July 2023 with my boyfriend, Carsen Gentes. He loves it here as well. He’s really into mountain biking, and this is the place for that sport,” she continued. “While waiting for the store to open I took the opportunity to work at the Carhartt Tasting Room and the Olive and Lavender Farm to familiarize myself with the town and its residents. I was fortunate to meet many of the locals, which was a nice way to get to know the community and for them to get to know me.”
The market property needed renovations that took nearly five months to accomplish, which included acquiring permits from the county.
“There was a lot of work to be done to get the store ready for opening,” explained Gandolfo. “So, my uncle Greg and his wife Sarah, both teachers at the Santa Ynez Valley High School, did a lot of the work restoring the premises. It took nearly five months to get the place in order, which included a new roof and, of course, acquiring permits for the building. We opened on May 28.”
“Our focus is on the deli, which provides sandwiches, salads, and charcuterie, but we also sell our deli meats by the pound,” she said. “Our specialty is tri-tip sandwiches, which people seem to love but are only available on Fridays and Saturdays. Tommy Palmer does the barbecuing, which he has done forever. Oscar Castillo is our chef and curates most of our menu. He is extremely conscious about what products go into our sandwiches.”
“We try to carry products that you can’t find everywhere. Our cheeses are from around the world, and our meats are from some of the top producers in the country — no additives, no preservatives — all extremely clean products. We also carry locally sourced fruits and vegetables and have a license to sell beer and wine, which you can enjoy on our outdoor patio.”
Running her fledgling business, Gandolfo keeps an ear out on public input to improve the market.
“I’m always listening to people to get their ideas about what we need for our store and the community as a whole,” she said. “A lot of the tasting rooms said they needed a quick bite for their customers, so we provide that.”
Gandolfo has plans for the future of the new market and a little Yuletide surprise.
“Eventually I would like to feature some boutique winemakers in the store and have them come in and pour on Saturdays,” she said. “I would also like to create a little winter wonderland theme on the property next to the market on the weekend of the Christmas Tree Lighting in Los Olivos, which is on Dec. 7, serving hot chocolate, a visit from Santa, something for the kids, and wines by the glass at the store for the adults.”
Gandolfo said she has had a great experience with her new undertaking.
“I love running the store,” said Gandolfo. “It has been challenging at times, but it’s great to be doing something for the community. We are looking to grow and plan on being a part of this community for a long time to come. We are very family-based, and we all work together to make this business a success.”
“My grandfather has always been the kindest, most generous, hard-working man and has one of the best reputations in the Valley, so I have a lot to live up to,” she said in closing.
The Gandolfo Family Market and Deli is open seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Deli hours are Monday and Tuesday from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.; and Wednesdays through Sundays from 10:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The market is at 2948 Grand Ave, Los Olivos. For more information, call (805) 697-7183 or visit them online at Gandolfo Family Market and Deli: gandolfofamilymarket.com.
