We can’t get enough good produce here at San Diego Magazine. That’s why we brought Jimbo, himself, of Jimbo’s Naturally, the natural foods grocer that is celebrating its 40th anniversary to this week’s Happy Half Hour.
Jim “Jimbo” Someck is not only a real, actual person (many fans of the chain have wondered over the years), but a native New Yorker who ended up in OB in the late ’60s. After a short stint at Cornell, he began working at the original Ocean Beach People’s Food Co-Op breaking down boxes when it was still an old Craftsman cottage.
After leaving People’s, he bought and started Jimbo’s in North Park. Today, while that location has closed, there are four other stores in Carmel Valley, Escondido, Carlsbad, and 4S Ranch.
In those last four decades, Jimbo’s has supported local organic farms and businesses, highlighting San Diego brands on the shelves through its “Support San Diego” signage and prioritizing organic and regenerative-organic agriculture produce in its sourcing. He claims that several brands have actually changed their product recipes to conform to Jimbo’s standards.
Jim also describes how the team regularly sources new local and artisan products, which is different from other grocery chains. He details how Jimbo’s works with schools, environmental groups, and charities, donating more than $2 million since 1999. He also shared some accolades, including many awards won and laying claim to eliminating single-use plastic shopping bags way back in 2008—before it was cool.
Jim and his family live the ethos they sell: he’s an avid runner and vegan, and his wife Colleen cooks with the same guidelines at home as the ones applied at the stores: no white sugar, no harmful chemicals or preservatives, and organic ingredients whenever possible.
In the episode, Jim talks about the meditative power of running and reveals his longest, most Forrest Gump daily running streak, which spans years. We also talk about his long-held decision to go vegan, which he isn’t preachy about, but it sure is the key to his health and longevity (and has plenty of science to back it up).
We also talked the news: Encinitas Fish Shop celebrates 10 years on July 31 with a bunch of specials; The Kitchen at MCASD recently launched a new dinner service and happy hour menus, both put together by Tracy Borkum and chef/partner Tim Kolanko of Urban Kitchen Group; Grant Hill restaurant Todo Pa La Cruda is expanding to a second location at 2196 Logan Avenue—that’s the former Salud space that shuttered only a few weeks ago; North Park’s Vegan Market returned a couple weeks ago on Saturday July 13; and Westfield UTC’s live-fire restaurant Amalfi Llama owned by the Eureka burger chain now offers special “Summer Friday” deals and a prix-fixe $35 lunch menu, including half dozen oysters on the shell, prime ribeye, and lamb chops.
