Kingma’s Produce was begun very humbly in 1917 by my grandfather, William Kingma.  William emigrated from the Netherlands to the United States.  He began to sell produce by going up and down neighborhood streets with his horse and loaded wagon.  He would holler out to the people in their homes and they would come out into the street to buy their produce.  “Grandpa” Kingma was known as a “Huckster”, which is what men were called at that time who sold their goods on the road instead of in a store as it is normally done today.  He finally opened his first store on Chicago Drive and Godfrey SW in Grand Rapids in the early 1940’s.  Later, in 1952, a new store was built out on the far eastern limits of the city on Kalamazoo Ave, and Boston St. SE.  At that time, William and his sons thought maybe they might have chosen a location too far out from the city.  Kalamazoo Ave., at that time, was only a small dirt road.  He thought he should have set up his store on Eastern Ave. which was the next main street closer to the city.  Eventually, as the city grew and expanded outward, the business grew through much effort and hard work.  This store thrived at that location for 47 years, until October, 1999, when it was closed.  Kingma’s was, by that time, being run by the third generation grandsons, Robert and Edward J. Kingma.

      Today, Kingma’s Market on Plainfield employs up to 50 people during our busiest seasons.  Fresh fruits and vegetables are readily available all year from around the world.  South America, the Caribbean, Africa, Europe, Israel, and even New Zealand and Austrailia are some of the areas from throughout the world which provide wonderful produce during months when our growing seasons in the United States, Canada, and Mexico are finished.  In addition to produce, Kingma’s Market also has Grand Rapids’ finest butcher shop, dairy and deli products, the largest variety of cheeses in this area, bakery products, gourmet and specialty groceries, coffees, flowers, and seasonal items such as bedding plants (garden center), pumpkins, Christmas Trees.  Kingma’s most recent product line addition has been a wine and beer department.  We now carry over 750 fine wines, including this area’s largest Michigan wine section of more than 150 wonderful Michigan wines.  Our selection of over 380 beers consists only of specialty, craft, micro-brews, and imported favorites.