The dilapidated storefront of the Lawrence Fruit Market, with the paint faded and the windows covered with sun-bleached produce specials, doesn't draw in passersby until they reach the parking lot on the corner of Christiana and Bryn Mawr. In addition to ample parking, the lot serves as a fruit-stand meets farmers-market. Especially busy on weekends, the offerings in the lot can change in the course of a day, though everything—from the Guatemalan mini melons to the flowering plants—are on special. A 3-pound bag of yellow onions? 79 cents. Red peppers were listed at $1.79/pound. and they were crisp. Broccoli, pickles, tomatoes and bok choy were all $1 per pound.

The store itself lures a diverse cross-section of North Parkers, from Koreans, Latinos, Arabs and European Caucasians, to a rather clueless local guy with a notebook and a language barrier. On my visit, the inside was being renovated; apparently the kitchen with the meats and the cooler was being expanded. The Latino man stocking the dykon and napa lettuce varieties pointed to the Asian woman at the counter and called her the other boss. She didn't have much to say.

In addition to the wide variety of produce, there are four aisles offering grain staples, canned goods, cleaning supplies and pop. Fuji apples were 2 for $1 and banana bunches were 49 cents. A Chiquita pineapple? $2. Hard to beat.

Centerstage Reviewer: Robert Duffer