"We Clean and You Shine"

THE FOOD MILL STORY During the depths of the Great Depression in 1933, a forward looking young man, John Denis, saw the future.  He was employed as a stone mill salesman in Oakland, CA. to grind whole grains.  When he lost his job, his optimistic attitude led him to start The Food Mill. John bought a building on Hopkins Street in Oakland, now named MacArthur Blvd.  John and his father, "Pops", put several stone mills in the slender three story building grinding fresh whole grains into flour and cereals.  They sold these products door to door. Teenage brothers Art and Kirk Watkins were hired in 1968, working their way to become owners in 1993.   The Food Mill had grown into a vibrant store filled with a wonderful array of hundreds of bulk foods and spices, a bakery making whole grain cookies and breads, and roasters for a variety of freshly ground nut butters.  What a sensory delight! This tradition is still alive today with the Watkins family at the helm.  They are proud to share some of their freshly made cookies, nut butters and other natural goodies with Diablo Circle K Customers.