Balboa Island, California--Hershey's Market has been around for decades, serving millions of visitors and residents during this time with produce, meats and a variety of food and other useful items tourists and residents seek.

Oh the smoky smell of an historic market thatt's sold meats for years. Hershey's Market was not always named for Tony Hershey, a German immigrant who purchased the store in 1936. Before Antony and his wife, Wilhelmina ran, then bought the market, it was owned by Wally who was the son of the man who sponsored this German couple, getting them out of harm's way before WWII began. An old photo from 1936 shows the Hershey family with daughter Ruthy running what was then called Market Spot.

The family successfully ran the market and watched many regular folks and celebrities pass through. According to Jim Jennings' book, Old Balboa Stories, daughter Ruth Hershey played with Shirley Temple, a Balboa Island regular.

The store thrived and grew (was once half the size it is today), and a small liquor added to the family income when opened in 1933 after the prohibition ended.

The store used to have a gas pump in front of it, selling fuel to tourists and locals. In the 1960's the family was fortunate to get some help from their son-in-law who made improvements to the property and tied the liquor and grocery business into one shop by removing a wall.

Departments such as the meat and vegetable sections of the store were subleased. Today the business is rented by  several individuals who run a similar style market to the original. The store is clean, contains a meat market, wine and liquor section, and fresh vegetables and fruits in open bins that look somewhat like the original market may have offered.

Hershey's is one of several markets on the island. On the other end of the island near the Balboa Ferry is the Island Market, offering fresh sandwiches, sodas and snacks.

Marine Avenue and surrounding streets are filled with more than 70 gift shops, galleries and restaurants.