Maters & Taters Market & Creamery opened its doors to the Apopka community for the last time Saturday after 41 years in business. 

“What a ride we had here in the market,” store manager Andy Ray said in a Nov. 15 post on the Maters Facebook page. “The smiles the laughs and especially getting to know each and every one of you. You all were a blessing. We worked so hard. Unfortunately, sometimes a good thing comes to an end. Until the next chapter.” 

Ray had announced its then-forthcoming closure of the business at 454 North Park Avenue in an Aug. 10 Facebook post. Ray had attributed the upcoming closure to his stepfather Jeff Boyer’s untimely death and a dwindling clientele in an August interview with The Apopka Chief. 

Ray’s goal was to keep the market open through Thanksgiving, but the financial situation did not allow it. 

“We could barely pay our payroll,” Ray said in a Nov. 18 phone interview with the Chief. “When my dad was running it, [we had] 150-170 customers a day. Now, we dropped all the way down to — maybe one time, 70 customers — then 60, then 50, and then the other day I only had 41. Saturday — our last day — we only had 38.” 

After Ray’s mother, Boyer’s widow, told Ray not to order anything else, he ran large last day deals at the store, such as 75% off produce and Spanish products. 

“I had a lot of bagged potatoes that [were] left over,” Ray said. “But once I talked to my mom on Saturday…she said, ‘Sell those five pound bags of potatoes for $1.50 a bag.’ Once I posted that, all my potatoes were gone in less than probably an hour.” 

Ray donated Saturday’s leftover food to H.O.P.E. of Apopka, which provides meals for the homeless. 

“What I do with it [the leftover food] is what Jeff, my dad, always did,” Ray said. 

Although the two former clerks at the store are doing well, Ray is unsure where he will go next. 

“I’ve got a lot of experience with warehouse — forklift, pallet jack, shipping and receiving and stuff like that,” Ray said. “But the only thing that hurts me right now — a lot — [is] my resume is full of manager experience. And so what I’m getting a lot now from me contacting some of the places I applied for that declined my application — I think it’s because I’m overqualified.” 

Although the property has not sold yet, realtor Natalie Arrowsmith of Arrowsmith Realty, Inc. said she is “seeing a lot of interest from different types of buyers[.]” 

“The biggest challenge is simply finding the right buyer who understands the possibilities of the location,” Arrowsmith said in a text to The Apopka Chief. “Every unique property requires the right fit, especially in today’s market. We’re focused on making sure the next owner is someone who can truly maximize the potential here.” 

Arrowsmith Realty is also selling 452 and 438 North Park Avenue together for $1.2 million, separately from Maters and Taters. Together, the three parcels of community commercial-zoned land along North Park Avenue span from Burgust Street to Summit Street. The properties provide Park Avenue with 296 feet of frontage and total around 1.3 acres within city limits. 

“That footprint opens the door to a wide range of community-centric possibilities,” Arrowsmith said. “The ultimate direction will depend on the buyer’s vision, but the location truly lends itself to something meaningful for the area.” 

Ray hopes to protect the building from vandalism and from becoming part of the pickup lines for Dream Lake Elementary School and Apopka Memorial Middle School. He also hopes someone can open a similar market in the city. 

“It would do great, but I don’t think it’s gonna happen, because everybody knew Maters & Taters,” Ray said. “It was a landmark for us.” 

Ray said he and his family would appreciate the Apopka community’s thoughts and prayers. 

“It’s gonna be tough, because when I drive by and I have to see what else — something’s gonna go there — it’s going to be kind of bittersweet,” Ray said. “It’s like, ‘Man, I worked hard there, and so did all of us, and my dad did too.’ But sometimes, you just gotta move on.”