The Richardson family bought their five acre farm in 1939 and began growing crops for direct sale through peddling by Verd Richardson and roadside vending by his wife, Lucile. The original fruit stand was built in 1938, but was replace by the existing concrete block building in 1960. The residence started out as a basement house in the early 1940's and received a main-level structure in 1945. Verd's Fruit Market Complex is one of the few examples of fruit stands remaining from the heyday of the roadside fruit-vending era that provided Orem its economic and occupational beginnings and survived the city's mid-to-late-twentieth century urbanization. Until 2010 it was the only historically complete market complex still in operation in the city that once had several of these markets lining State Street. Verd's Fruit Market complex retains the association and feeling of Orem's fruit production and market gardening heritage, contributing to the historic character of the community.
The Richardson family has operated Verd's Fruit Market continuously since its establishment. During its heyday, Verd's was not just a seasonal fruit stand, but a year-round market that Lucile kept open sevendays a week from 7:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m., becoming, perhaps, Orem's first mini-mart in an era when the nearest large grocery stores were several miles to the south in Provo, and the only competition in Orem was from similar small markets/ fruit stands. With grocery stores still closing on Sundays and convenience stores not yet conceived, Sundays were some of the busiest days at Verd's. Despite her long hours, Lucile did the bookkeeping each night after closing, and still found time fro handwork such as sewing, tatting, knitting, and crocheting, and for going out dancing with Verd on Saturday nights.
In later years, Lucile's daughter's convinced her to close on Sundays. Despite failing health, Lucile continued to work in the market from a wheelchair until shortly before her death on April 27, 1998. Her daughters, Linda Ash and Kathryn Richardson decided they "couldn't not" open the market that spring, and kept it running until the summer of 2010. Still today Verd's Fruit Market remains an historic icon of Orem's important past as a fruit growing and production center, and is a contributing historic resource in Orem City.
Verd's Fruit Market is Located at 1300 N State St Orem, Ut 84057