Bill Pace has been selling fruit since 1968, having first bought an orchard in Yakima from his father when the bank came calling. He would take his peaches to Bellevue — a three-hour drive — after finishing his day job, later adding apples and nectarines. When the city needed someone to operate and market its blueberry farm on Bellevue Way, Pace took it over in 2000, only stopping last year when the rent became too high. About three years ago he opened Bill Pace Fresh Fruit and Produce in the Newport Hills Shopping Center.

“At the end of the month, our goal is to be out of there,” Pace said last week, “but I keep thinking, where can you buy a box of peaches.”

Pace said Newport Hills residents encouraged him to open up his produce store in the neighborhood shopping center, but after three years he’s done losing money and his perishable inventory.

“They assured me that they would support me,” he said. “My wife mentioned a coffee shop and boy they went flying in the air, they were so happy.”

The 50 or so daily customers Pace Produce averages isn’t enough to pay the electric bill, Pace said, let alone the $6,000 a month in rent. He added he would need twice as many customers to turn business around.

Admittedly, the produce goes bad after a while, he said, because his 32 farm vendors don’t use preservatives like what is on fruits and vegetables in major grocery stores. As it is now, he has more produce than customers, so it sits and spoils.

“Right now, we probably throw 40 percent of our vegetables away,” Pace said. “The craziest thing is everybody loves a farmers market.”

The long-time produce vendor said he’s decided to focus on his family, particularly his wife, Marianne, whom he said deserves to start enjoying retirement. He will also sell his orchard in Yakima, he said, since he will no longer have an outlet for selling his peaches, apples and nectarines.

“I’m damn sure not going to go back to selling it out of the truck.”