{"id":15959,"date":"2025-05-08T16:29:32","date_gmt":"2025-05-08T16:29:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/?p=15959"},"modified":"2025-05-08T16:29:32","modified_gmt":"2025-05-08T16:29:32","slug":"the-legacy-of-johnson-produce-market-a-true-pillar-of-the-community","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wordpress.thetruthtoledo.com\/index.php\/2025\/05\/08\/the-legacy-of-johnson-produce-market-a-true-pillar-of-the-community\/","title":{"rendered":"The Legacy of Johnson Produce Market: A True Pillar of the Community"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"By Asia Nail
\n<\/em><\/strong>The Truth Reporter<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

If you\u2019ve ever strolled down Pulaski Street, you know the spot. Big smiles, bright fruits and veggies, and a feeling that you’re right at home. That\u2019s Johnson Produce Market<\/strong>\u2014 and behind it all is a man who has spent a lifetime giving his best to his community: David D. Johnson<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

This isn\u2019t just a story about selling produce. It\u2019s about hard work, family love and a dream that\u2019s still growing.<\/p>\n

A Truck, a Dream, and a Lot of Heart<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Johnson\u2019s story didn\u2019t start with a big building or fancy business cards. Nope\u2014he began by selling fresh fruits and vegetables out of the back of his truck.<\/p>\n

Picture a young David riding through the city streets, ready to bring good food straight to his neighbors. It wasn\u2019t flashy. It wasn\u2019t easy.<\/p>\n

But it was real\u2014and it was rooted in something bigger: caring for people<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Johnson has a deep connection to his roots\u2014his grandparents were from Georgia, and family ties to the land and the community shaped his early years. Johnson recalls how his grandfather\u2019s influence, combined with the hustle and grit of those around him, led him to this life of purposeful service.<\/p>\n

\u201cGrowing up, I knew what it meant to work hard,\u201d he shares. \u201cMy family was always about providing for each other, and that\u2019s how I\u2019ve built this business. We\u2019ve always been about the community and making sure people have access to the things they need. Fresh produce isn\u2019t just a luxury; it\u2019s a necessity.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Staying Strong When Others Left<\/strong><\/h2>\n

When big businesses started moving out of Central City, many people thought it would be smarter to leave.<\/p>\n

Not Mr. Johnson.<\/p>\n

In 2007, he made a bold move: he built a new, permanent home for Johnson Produce Market, right in the heart of the community<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe weren\u2019t going anywhere,\u201d Johnson says with a proud smile. \u201cWe were planted here.\u201d<\/p>\n

He didn\u2019t just build a market\u2014he built hope<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

And he made sure to hire local workers, giving young people real jobs and real chances to succeed.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe didn\u2019t want to leave,\u201d Johnson explains. \u201cThere was no one building anything in this neighborhood, and I thought, if we\u2019re going to do this, we need to do it here. We need to be accessible to the people who need us the most.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"Lessons You Can’t Learn in a Classroom<\/strong><\/h2>\n

For David, Johnson Produce Market isn\u2019t just about selling food\u2014it\u2019s about growing people, too. Through the Summer Youth Employment Program<\/strong>, Johnson has mentored countless young people, giving them their first jobs and teaching them real-world skills.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe give teenagers their first taste of what it means to work hard, show up on time, and take pride in what you do,\u201d he shares.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want the kids who work here to know that hard work pays off, I want them to learn that if they show up and give their best, they\u2019ll go far.\u201d<\/p>\n

Many of the young people who got their start at Johnson Produce Market have gone on to launch their own businesses, a true testament to the power of passing on lessons of hard work, dedication, and community pride.<\/p>\n

Now that\u2019s what you call planting seeds!<\/p>\n

Building on the Lessons of the Past<\/strong><\/p>\n

Johnson also recalls the mentorship he received from figures like the late Charlie \u201cChuck\u201d Welch<\/strong>, whose community-driven mindset shaped the way Johnson approaches his business. Welch, a trailblazer in Toledo, made history as Ohio’s first African American to create a radio station from the ground up, The Juice FM 107.3 (WJUC)<\/em>.<\/p>\n

It was through guidance like this that he realized the importance of sustaining and building upon the work of previous generations.<\/p>\n

And while Johnson never set out to build a personal legacy, it\u2019s clear that his actions have done just that. He doesn\u2019t seek recognition for himself, but rather, he hopes that the work he\u2019s done will inspire others to give back, to build, and to invest in their own communities.<\/p>\n

Thank You, Mom and Dad<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Ask Johnson where he learned his grit and heart, and he\u2019ll tell you without hesitating: his family<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

He wants the world to know:
\nThe foundation of everything he has done, and will do, was built by two amazing people\u2014his parents.<\/p>\n

His father, Ben Johnson Sr<\/strong>., taught him the value of sticking with it, even when things get tough. Though his father passed away before David graduated college in 1982, his lessons live on.<\/p>\n

His mother, Mary J. Johnson<\/strong>, who passed away in January 2025, was his biggest cheerleader and encourager.<\/p>\n

\u201cI wouldn\u2019t be where I am without them,\u201d Johnson says.<\/p>\n

Every peach, every watermelon, every ear of corn sold at Johnson Produce Market carries a little piece of their love.<\/p>\n

Big Dreams on the Horizon<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Johnson\u2019s not just looking back at what\u2019s been done\u2014he\u2019s looking forward.<\/p>\n

He recently bought 21 acres <\/strong>of land, and he\u2019s got huge plans<\/strong>:<\/p>\n