MediterraneanGrocery Wholesalers in San Diego, CA

Mediterranean Grocery Wholesalers Mobile Number770-795-9026

Free Estimate

We promise a 100% satisfaction guarantee

The Largest Selection of Wholesale Mediterranean and Middle Eastern Products in San Diego

When it comes to trying new, exciting cuisine, few foods hit the spot like a deliciously fresh Mediterranean meal. However, we know that it can be very difficult to find authentic Mediterranean grocery wholesalers in San Diego, CA. Having lived in metro Atlanta for years, we realized that our customers needed an easy way to find quality wholesale Middle Eastern and Mediterranean food in bulk. That is why we created Nazareth Grocery Mediterranean Market - to give everyone a chance to enjoy tasty, healthy food, desserts, and authentic Mediterranean gifts at wholesale prices.

Founded in 2009, Nazareth Grocery has become one of San Diego's leading international wholesale grocery stores. We are very proud to serve our customers and do everything in our power to give them the largest selection of high-quality wholesale goods available.

If you're looking for the freshest, most delicious Middle Eastern wholesale products and ingredients, you will find them here at the best prices in the state. We encourage you to swing by our store in Marietta to see our selection for yourself. We think that you will be impressed!

The Nazareth Difference

At Nazareth Grocery Mediterranean Market, our mission is simple: bring you and your family the largest selection of wholesale Mediterranean products in San Diego. When coupled with our helpful, friendly staff and authentic Middle Eastern atmosphere, it's easy to see why we are the top Middle Eastern grocery wholesaler in San Diego, CA. We're proud to carry just about every kind of Mediterranean and Middle Eastern product that you can think of, from prepared meals and hookahs to fine seasonings and sweets. We're here for our customers and want each one of them to have a unique, one-of-a-kind experience when they shop with us.

Our loyal customers love our selection of the following wholesale foods and gifts:

  • Fresh Breads
  • OlivesOlives
  • HummusHummus
  • CheesesCheeses
  • SaucesSauces
  • Savory-FoodsSavory Foods
  • DessertsDesserts
  • DrinksDrinks
  • HookahsHookahs
  • TobaccoTobacco
  • SaucesGifts
  • Much More!Much More!

Our Service Areas

Most Popular Wholesale Mediterranean Foods

There is so much more to Mediterranean food than pizza and pasta. The perfect climate combined with delicious foods and amazing wine makes the Mediterranean incredibly irresistible. That's why our customers absolutely love to buy this kind of cuisine in bulk. Every country in this region has its own set of specialties and delicacies, each with its own flavors and styles of preparation.

Mediterranean countries include:

  • France
  • Greece
  • Italy
  • Turkey
  • Syria
  • Egypt
  • Israel
  • Libya
  • Morocco
  • Tunisia
  • Spain
Mediterranean Grocery San Diego, CA

So, when it comes to the most popular wholesale Mediterranean products in San Diego,
what are we talking about?

 Mediterranean Supermarkets San Diego, CA

Feta Cheese

Feta cheese is a classic Mediterranean dairy product that is often enjoyed on its own, in Greek salads, on bread, or mixed with zucchini. Depending on where the feta is sourced and produced, the cheese can be made from cow, sheep, or goat milk, or even a combination of the three. Regardless of the animal it comes from, this delicious cheese is a crowd favorite.

 Mediterranean Grocery Store San Diego, CA

Baba Ganoush

This Levantine dish is one of the most well-known Mediterranean dishes to eat in the United States. It typically comes in the form of a dip, served with pita or another kind of dipping bread. Commonly served before dinner as an appetizer of sorts, it usually features tahini, eggplant, garlic, spices, and sometimes yogurt. This tasty cuisine works great as a spread on a sandwich, or you can even eat it with a spoon, all on its own.

 Middle Eastern Grocery San Diego, CA

Baklava

If you have never tried authentic baklava before, get ready to have your mind blown. This dessert is a traditional Mediterranean food that will have your taste buds craving more and more. Once you open a box of baklava from our Mediterranean grocery wholesaler in San Diego, CA, you won't want to stop eating! Baklava is made with layers of thin filo dough, which is layered together, filled with chopped nuts (think pistachios), and sealed with honey or syrup. Baklava is so good that its origins are debated, leaving many wondering which country invented the dessert. Everyone from the Turks to the Greeks and even Middle Easterners hold unique takes on baklava. Try each one to discover your favorite!

Most Popular Wholesale Middle Eastern Foods

Fresh, healthy, aromatic, rich: it's no wonder that the popularity of Middle Eastern cuisine and products has skyrocketed in the United States. This genre of cuisine features a large variety of foods, from Halvah to Labneh. If there were one common theme throughout all Middle Eastern food, it would be the bright, vibrant herbs and spices that are used. These flavorings help create rich, complex flavors that foodies fawn over. Typically, Middle Eastern food is piled high for all to eat, with enough food for an entire republic to put down.

 Mediterranean Food Stores San Diego, CA

Tabbouleh

This refreshing, healthy dish is chock-full of greens, herbs, tomatoes, and bulgur (or cracked wheat), creating a memorable, bold flavor. This dish may be eaten on its own or paired with a shawarma sandwich or helping of falafel. It's best to buy your ingredients in bulk to make this dish because it tastes best freshly made with family around to enjoy. Just be sure to bring a toothpick to the tabbouleh party - you're almost certain to have some leafy greens stuck in your teeth after eating.

 Middle Eastern Market San Diego, CA

Shawarma

We mentioned shawarma above, and for good reason - this dish is enjoyed by men and women around the world, and of course, right here in the U.S. Except for falafel, this might be the most popular Middle Eastern food item in history. Shawarma is kind of like a Greek gyro, with slow-roasted meat stuffed in laffa with veggies and sauce. The blend of spices and the smoky meat mix together to create a tangy, meaty flavor that you will want to keep eating for hours. For western-style shawarma, try using beef or chicken. For a more traditional meal, try using lamb from our Middle Eastern grocery distributor in San Diego, CA.

 Greek Grocery Store San Diego, CA

Hummus

Traditionally used as a dip meant for fresh pita, hummus is a combo of chickpeas, garlic, and tahini, blended together until silky, smooth, and creamy. You can find hummus in just about any appetizer section of a Middle Eastern restaurant menu. That's because it's considered a staple of Middle Eastern food that can be enjoyed by itself, as a spread, or with fresh-baked pita bread. Hummus is also very healthy, making it a no-brainer purchase from our grocery store.

Benefits of Eating a Mediterranean Diet

If there's one diet that is most well-known for its health benefits, it has got to be the Mediterranean diet. In 2019, U.S. News & World Report listed the Mediterranean diet as No. 1 on its best over diet list. This incredible diet has been cited to help with weight loss, brain health, heart health, diabetes prevention, and cancer prevention.

Whether you already love Mediterranean food or you're looking to make some positive changes in your life, this "diet" is for you. Eating cuisine like Greek food, Persian food, Turkish food, and Italian food is healthy and tastes great. Even better than that? At Nazareth Wholesale Grocery, we have many staples of the Mediterranean diet for sale in bulk so that you can stock up on your favorites at the best prices around.

So, what exactly is the Mediterranean diet?

It is a way of eating that incorporates traditional Greek, Italian, and other Mediterranean cultures' foods. These foods are often plant-based and make up the foundation of the diet, along with olive oil. Fish, seafood, dairy, and poultry are also included in moderation. Red meat and sweets are only eaten in moderation, not in abundance. Mediterranean food includes many forms of nuts, fruits, vegetables, fish, seeds, and more. Of course, you can find at them all at our wholesale Mediterranean grocery store!

Here are just a few of the many benefits of eating a healthy Mediterranean diet:

Reduced Risk of Heart Disease

Reduced Risk
of Heart Disease

Many studies have been conducted on this diet, many of which report that Mediterranean food is excellent for your heart. Some of the most promising evidence comes from a randomized clinical trial published in 2013. For about five years, researchers followed 7,000 men and women around the country of Spain. These people had type 2 diabetes or were at a high risk for cardiovascular disease. Participants in the study who ate an unrestricted Mediterranean diet with nuts and extra-virgin olive oil were shown to have a 30% lower risk of heart events.

Reduced Risk of Stroke for Women

Reduced Risk
of Stroke for Women

In addition to the heart-healthy benefits of a Mediterranean diet, studies have shown that eating healthy Mediterranean and Middle Eastern foods can reduce the chances of stroke in women. The study was conducted in the U.K., which included women between the ages of 40 and 77. Women who stuck to the Mediterranean diet showed a lower risk of having a stroke - especially women who were at high risk of having one.

Benefits of Eating a Mediterranean Diet

First and foremost, purchase your Mediterranean and Middle Eastern wholesale foods from Nazareth Grocery - we're always updating our inventory! Getting started on this healthy, delicious diet is easy.

Try these tips:

Try these tips

1.

Instead of unhealthy sweets like candy and ice cream, try eating fresh fruit instead. It's refreshing, tasty, and often packed with great vitamins and nutrients.

2.

Try eating fish twice a week, in lieu of red meat. Fish is much healthier and doesn't have the unfortunate side effects of red meat, like inflammation.

3.

Try planning out your meals using beans, whole grains, and veggies. Don't start with meats and sweets.

4.

They're tasty, but try to avoid processed foods completely.

5.

Instead of using butter to flavor your food, use extra virgin olive oil instead. Olive oil contains healthy fats and tastes great too.

6.

Try to get more exercise and get out of the house. The Mediterranean lifestyle is an active one, best enjoyed in the beautiful sunshine when possible.

Why Buy Mediterranean and Middle Eastern Products Wholesale?

Buying wholesale and retail are quite different. When you buy products from a wholesaler, you're essentially buying from the middleman between a retail establishment and the manufacturer. Wholesale purchases are almost always made in bulk. Because of that, buyers pay a discounted price. That's great for normal buyers and great for business owners, who can sell those products to profit. This higher price is called the retail price, and it is what traditional customers pay when they enter a retail store.

Free Estimate
 Middle Eastern Store San Diego, CA

Latest News in San Diego, CA

19-year-old recounts being hit by wrong-way driver in Carlsbad

Play/PauseMute/Unmute Embed videoPlayback SpeedVideo QualityEmbed videoCopy the code below to embed the video.<div _="@=1463,dis=none"><div _="@=1464,dis=none"></div></div> CopyPlayback Speed 2 1.75 1.50 1.25 Normal 0.50Video Quality Play/Pause >>Mute/Unmute 0:00 / 0:00Settings Closed Captions Picture in Picture Cast FullscreenPlay/Pause >>M...

Play/Pause

Mute/Unmute

Embed video

Playback Speed

Video Quality

Embed video

Copy the code below to embed the video.

<div _="@=1463,dis=none"><div _="@=1464,dis=none"></div></div> Copy

Playback Speed

2

1.75

1.50

1.25

Normal

0.50

Video Quality

Play/Pause >>

Mute/Unmute

0:00 / 0:00

Settings Closed Captions Picture in Picture Cast Fullscreen

Play/Pause >>

Mute/Unmute

0:00 / 0:00

Settings Closed Captions Cast Fullscreen

SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — 19-year-old Makayla Balderrama is thankful to be alive, laying in a bed at Scripps Hospital in La Jolla.

“This pain is going to be there, I’m just trying to push through, trying to keep going,” Makayla said.

I stood with her boyfriend and mom outside the hospital as she spoke to us over FaceTime. They recounted the horrifying experience that led to this.

“Did you see the car coming toward you?”

“Yes and no, the way that it was it was still dark, I thought it was on the other side of the road,” Makayla said.

Makayla’s boyfriend, 20-year-old Juan Baro, was driving them to the airport on December 1st at around 4:30a.m. They were on the I-5 South. When they got close to Cannon Road in Carlsbad, CHP says a truck going the wrong way crashed head-on into their car.

“After the collision I was able to get myself out,” Baro said.

Baro says he went to the passenger side to pull Makayla out through the window, but her legs were stuck and his arm was broken.

“My hand was pretty much dangling at that point,” Baro said.

That’s when the car started to catch fire.

“I just felt helpless," Baro said. "I couldn’t do anything. I was trying to pull my girlfriend out and my hand wasn’t working.”

Baro says CHP arrived soon after and used the jaws of life to get Makayla out. CHP says the wrong-way driver was arrested under suspected DUI.

“Your actions have consequences, even if they’re not for you all the time," Makayla said. You’re going to affect someone else with what you do.”

Makayla says she has two broken femurs, four broken ribs, and a broken right arm and elbow. She’s hoping to make a full recovery in six to 12 months.

Juan lives in Camp Pendleton but Makayla lives in Houston. She’s hoping to get a life flight back home to be closer to her family. Her mom says their insurance doesn't cover most of the medical bills or the flight. If you’d like to donate, here's the link to their GoFundMe.

Copyright 2023 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Padres send Carpenter, Kerr to Braves

Matt Carpenter’s Padres tenure came to an unceremonious end on Friday, as he was packaged with lefty reliever Ray Kerr in a three-player trade with Atlanta. San Diego received Minor League outfielder Drew Campbell.The move puts an end to the question marks about Carpenter's future in San Diego. He struggled mightily in 2023 and didn't have a place in the team's plans for ’24 but was owed $5.5 million after exercising his ...

Matt Carpenter’s Padres tenure came to an unceremonious end on Friday, as he was packaged with lefty reliever Ray Kerr in a three-player trade with Atlanta. San Diego received Minor League outfielder Drew Campbell.

The move puts an end to the question marks about Carpenter's future in San Diego. He struggled mightily in 2023 and didn't have a place in the team's plans for ’24 but was owed $5.5 million after exercising his player option.

TRADE DETAILS Padres get: OF Drew Campbell Braves get: 1B/DH Matt Carpenter, LHP Ray Kerr, cash considerations

What are the Padres getting? Campbell, 26, went undrafted in the Rule 5 Draft this month after he posted a .254/.307/.404 slash line in 78 games for Double-A Mississippi last season. The Padres need outfield help after the deal that sent Trent Grisham and Juan Soto to the Yankees, but this move doesn’t truly address that. The lefty-hitting Campbell is viewed mostly as a Minor League depth piece.

More important, the Padres freed up some financial wiggle room. According to a source, they sent $1.5 million to Atlanta in the deal, meaning the Braves will cover $4 million of Carpenter’s salary and $4.5 million of his Competitive Balance Tax hit.

The Padres also cleared two roster spots, with the departures of Kerr and Carpenter, bringing their 40-man roster to 32. Even during Hot Stove season, it’s rare for a team to have eight roster vacancies. But San Diego is likely to be busy in the months ahead, so that roster space might come in handy.

What are the Padres giving up? More than they would have liked. Kerr made notable strides last season and looked like the type of pitcher who could have factored into their 2024 bullpen. Instead, he was attached in a deal to free the Padres of Carpenter's salary.

Kerr posted a 4.33 ERA in 22 appearances last season. But he was particularly effective against left-handers, who combined to post a miniscule .161 batting average and a .547 OPS against him. With the Padres’ decision to non-tender Tim Hill last month, Tom Cosgrove is suddenly San Diego’s lone reliable lefty reliever.

As for Carpenter, he was unlikely to return to the Padres following his poor performance in 2023. The veteran was relegated mostly to DH duty and batted .176 with a .641 OPS. For the Padres, it was merely a matter of finding a trade partner.

What’s next? The Padres’ dire need for relief pitching is somehow even greater now. Josh Hader and Luis García have departed via free agency. Nick Martinez's team option was declined. Hill was non-tendered. Scott Barlow was dealt to Cleveland. Now Kerr is out of the mix, as well.

Kerr was never likely to pitch high-leverage innings. But he was perhaps a favorite for the Opening Day roster, particularly with the lack of lefty relief options. Now? The Padres must add multiple relievers. At least one should probably throw left-handed.

Meanwhile, Carpenter's departure brings salary relief, but it doesn't change much else. The Padres were already looking for a potent lefty bat -- the type they thought they’d be getting when they signed Carpenter last offseason.

Additionally, Campbell's arrival doesn't meaningfully change the Padres' outfield picture. He'll join a crowded mix of players vying for a big league job. But the Padres still are looking to add another starting outfielder this winter -- possibly two.

Braves acquire LHP Ray Kerr, Matt Carpenter, and cash from Padres

Admit it, you were bored, weren’t you? A few nights without another offseason move for the Braves? The depths of dejection. But, be bored no longer, for the Braves have struck again! #Braves Acquire LHP Ray Kerr, DH Matt Carpenter, Cash from Padres: pic.twitter.com/vXY5MSSuXB...

Admit it, you were bored, weren’t you? A few nights without another offseason move for the Braves? The depths of dejection. But, be bored no longer, for the Braves have struck again!

#Braves Acquire LHP Ray Kerr, DH Matt Carpenter, Cash from Padres: pic.twitter.com/vXY5MSSuXB

— Atlanta Braves (@Braves) December 15, 2023

This is, fundamentally, yet another move where the Braves appear to take on some salary commitment from the contract of a now-fringy major leaguer, and get a younger player with control in exchange for doing so. Tonight’s partner happens to be the San Diego Padres, who are scrambling to cut salary, and it’s the $5.5 million player option that Matt Carpenter exercised earlier this offseason that the Braves are taking on, at least in part.

Carpenter is the most broadly-known name in this trade, and it’s not clear that he has much of a role in the Braves’ future plans. A high-quality bat from his rookie season in 2012 all the way through 2018, Carpenter’s career fell apart in his mid-30s. He somehow leveraged a 150-PA renaissance with the Yankees in 2022 into a $12 million guarantee from the Padres ahead of last year, and after faceplanting in 2023 to the tune of -0.3 fWAR in 237 PAs, he’ll probably find a new employer of some sort in 2024.

If you’re looking for silver linings, Carpenter’s .310 xwOBA from last year was more pedestrian than bad, and both Steamer and ZiPS see him as a decent bat going forward. The problem is more that Carpenter is basically a DH at this point, and a league average bat at DH is a pretty weak proposition. Steamer sees him as essentially replacement level; ZiPS thinks he’ll hit enough to be a below-average regular rather than just a warm body, but there doesn’t seem to be too much upside here. You could say that a team could do worse than having a guy like Carpenter hang around and pinch-hit from the left side occasionally, but you don’t need to pay that guy $5.5 million, and the Braves probably aren’t that team.

Instead, it seems like they acquired Carpenter’s salary, less whatever the Padres send over, to grab Ray Kerr, a southpaw reliever with a brief major league stint in 2022, and a longer tour of duty in 2023, where he put up 0.1 fWAR in 27 innings spanning 22 appearances. Kerr has a career 125 ERA-, 109 FIP-, and 90 xFIP-, but his xFIP- in 2023 was 74, which probably intrigued the Braves. He has an option year remaining and has less than a year of service time at this point, so you can see why the Braves were interested.

Pitch-wise, Kerr is fastball-curve, though his curve is thrown relatively hard and is more like a Luke Jackson-type gyroslider. Said curve thing racked up an insane whiff rate of over 50 percent last year, so again, you get it: the Braves took on salary to get a pitcher with stuff (in many senses of that word) they like. Kerr’s fastball seems nice on paper but has been crushed so far, probably because he doesn’t elevate it enough. On the flip side, his curve is all about z-whiff, which gives the Braves a lefty version of that to pair with the recently re-signed Pierce Johnson’s right-handed variant of the same.

In exchange, the Braves are sending minor league outfielder Drew Campbell to the Padres. Campbell was Rule 5 eligible and not selected after putting up an 87 wRC+ in Double-A last year; the 23rd-round pick from the 2019 MLB Draft probably didn’t figure into any of Atlanta’s plans and was just someone to throw in because MLB teams are essentially not allowed to just pay cash straight up to acquire players of a certain caliber.

Some Braves beat writers are indicating that Carpenter will be moved, like Marco Gonzales and Max Stassi before him, so the moves probably aren’t done yet.

UPDATE: The Braves are getting 1.5 million dollars from San Diego, per the Padres’ beat writer.

The Padres are sending the Braves $1.5 million in the Matt Carpenter deal, a source said. Carpenter is owed $5.5 million next season.

— Dennis Lin (@dennistlin) December 16, 2023

The Braves are on the hook for four million dollars of Carpenter’s salary next season. That number could be reduced yet again via another trade. They could likely recover one million pretty easily, and at this rate Anthopoulos is working it could be done by Sunday. Pretty good business to get promising bullpen depth at that rate.

Street festival, design showcase and more: Here’s what’s being planned for the region’s World Design Capital events next year

Organizers last spring estimated the series of events would cost $8 million to $10 million. They haven’t given an update on how much they have raised beyond the city’s $3 million contribution.SAN DIEGO — Planning is well under way for the many festivals, conferences and neighborhood events San Diego and Tijuana will stage next year when the two cities serve as a global focal point for architecture and design ideas.San Diego and Tijuana beat out Moscow to be designated World Design Capital during 2024,...

Organizers last spring estimated the series of events would cost $8 million to $10 million. They haven’t given an update on how much they have raised beyond the city’s $3 million contribution.

SAN DIEGO —

Planning is well under way for the many festivals, conferences and neighborhood events San Diego and Tijuana will stage next year when the two cities serve as a global focal point for architecture and design ideas.

San Diego and Tijuana beat out Moscow to be designated World Design Capital during 2024, following in the footsteps of Seoul, Helsinki, Mexico City, Taipei, Cape Town and Valencia, Spain.

The goal of the event is attracting tourists and media coverage to boost the binational region’s reputation in innovative design of buildings, communities and other environments.

Advertisement

Local organizers on both sides of the border are scheduling public forums at museums and other venues during January, a street festival in May, a design showcase in September and a November finale with multiple major events.

Those include a city networking session in Tijuana featuring mayors from around the world, a policy conference on global design practices in San Diego and a convocation ceremony summarizing the highlights of the year at UC San Diego’s Salk Institute.

There will also be dozens — maybe hundreds — of smaller neighborhood events focused on design strategies, solving societal problems and sharing ideas with other parts of the world to improve people’s lives.

Local nonprofits and other groups recently submitted nearly 500 ideas for neighborhood events in response to a request for proposals from World Design Capital organizers.

“It shows the engagement and excitement that is out there,” said Carlos de la Mora, an architect serving as the event’s chief executive.

The chosen events, which will split $550,000 in secured sponsorship money, will all be open to the public and begin in March. They will be selected partly based on how well their proposals address one of six focus areas organizers have chosen: arts and culture, health and wellness, climate and sustainability, planning and place-making, youth and education, and science and technology.

Organizers say they’re close to selecting a team of designers and artists to create a mobile pavilion that will be present at nearly all local World Design events as a recognizable signature feature .

That nonprofit includes five separate organizations: the city of San Diego, the city of Tijuana, UCSD, the Burnham Center for Community Advancement and Design Forward Alliance.

Organizers last spring estimated the series of events would cost $8 million to $10 million total. They haven’t given an update on how much they have raised beyond the city’s $3 million contribution.

Councilmember Raul Campillo said the city’s contribution should be looked at as an investment and contended it will more than pay for itself in tourism dollars and an enhanced image.

Valencia, which was the World Design Capital last year, hosted 300 activities, had 150,000 visitors and experienced a $35 million economic impact, he said.

“This designation is not fluff,” Campillo said during a Dec. 6 meeting of the council’s economic development committee. “It’s part of how we can solve our biggest problems together. We can build our global brand as a multinational center of design, creativity, entrepreneurship and innovation.”

The street festival will be held May 1 through May 5 in Tijuana. It will include art installations and exhibitions that will invite spectators to explore the creative process and imagine a possible future of the Tijuana/San Diego region.

The design showcase will be Sept. 18 through 25 at Balboa Park’s Mingei International Museum and some other venues. Five separate locations will showcase community-driven design with high impact and how to celebrate diversity in design.

On neighborhood events, Campillo said he doesn’t want the lion’s share to take place in Balboa Park, as many cultural events typically do. He said the Convoy District, a Black arts district in southeastern San Diego and other lesser-known cultural areas should be prioritized for events.

Councilmember Kent Lee said he’s impressed with the recent progress.

“It’s nice to see how it’s beginning to come together,” he said.

De la Mora said outreach and promotion have also been going well.

“Six months ago very few people knew about World Design Capital, and I think we’ve made a lot of progress,” he said.

Future plans include a new website coming in January and promotional banners in certain neighborhoods. The existing website is wdc2024.org.

Warwick's bookstore employee in La Jolla gets $500 bonus from James Patterson

One lucky bookstore employee in La Jolla received a special surprise from best-selling author James Patterson.Amanda Qassar from the Allied Gardens neighborhood of San Diego was among the 600 booksellers nationwide awarded $500 as part of Patterson's annual ...

One lucky bookstore employee in La Jolla received a special surprise from best-selling author James Patterson.

Amanda Qassar from the Allied Gardens neighborhood of San Diego was among the 600 booksellers nationwide awarded $500 as part of Patterson's annual Holiday Bookstore Bonus Program.

"I cried," she said, describing her reaction to being selected. "I'm so grateful that [Patterson] continues to do this year after year because bookselling can sometimes be a tough gig."

Qassar has been working as a marketing coordinator at Warwick's located on Girard Avenue since 2017. But her journey in the bookselling industry didn't start there. She worked at several chain bookstores after high school and then at the UC San Diego Bookstore for more than eight years.

"I've said this before, but I can't say it enough — booksellers save lives," Patterson said in a statement to the Associated Press on Wednesday. "What they do is crucial, especially right now. I'm happy to be able to acknowledge them and their hard work this holiday season."

Patterson's words resonated with Qassar, who compared the role of a bookseller to that of a matchmaker.

"The right book at the right time can definitely change the course of a life," she said. "We meet people for a very brief time and ask them a few questions and start putting books in their hands, hoping that one of them is the right one."

Employees interested in the bonus program were able to nominate themselves, or be recommended by store owners, managers, peers, community members and others. In Qassar's case, some of her friends, customers and people she's met at author events nominated her. She has received this award two times before — once in 2016 and again in 2021.

"The fact that people that I love and respect took time to think about my weird, enduring fascination and passion for books and bookshops to formulate their own ideas about why I deserve to be recognized for that, among so many booksellers in the nation, I'm very grateful," Qassar said.

One of the world's most popular and prolific writers, Patterson has given millions of dollars to booksellers, librarians and teachers. In 2015, the same year he began awarding employee bonuses, he was presented an honorary National Book Award for "Outstanding Service to the America Literary Community."

Patterson has even co-authored a tribute book, "The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians," which Little, Brown and Company will release in April.

"We all continue to be awed by, and grateful for, Mr. Patterson's continuing support of independent booksellers," Allison Hill, CEO of the American Booksellers Association, said in a statement. "It means so much to have him recognize the valuable role booksellers play in the industry and we appreciate his financial generosity as well as his generosity of spirit."

Those are just a few reasons why Qassar has referred to Patterson as "the patron saint of booksellers."

"It's very special and edifying to know that James Patterson, the planet's best-selling author, takes time to look down at all these booksellers and say, 'You deserve a little treat. Have it on me. James Patterson,'" she said.

So, what does Qassar plan to do with the money?

Some of those new books, Qassar says, will go towards filling out the selection in the little free library she has been taking to events over the past couple of years.

If you're looking to pick up a new book, Qassar's 2023 highlights include Benjamín Labatut's "The MANIAC" and "Prophet" by Helen Macdonald and Sin Blaché.

And if you're a Patterson fan, Warwick's will be hosting him for a virtual event on Zoom on Jan. 11 to talk about his new book "Holmes, Marple & Poe" with local novelist Matt Coyle. You can buy tickets here.

There was another local awardee at Meet Cute Romance Bookshop in North Park. To view the full list of recipients, click here.

Disclaimer:

This website publishes news articles that contain copyrighted material whose use has not been specifically authorized by the copyright owner. The non-commercial use of these news articles for the purposes of local news reporting constitutes "Fair Use" of the copyrighted materials as provided for in Section 107 of the US Copyright Law.