Proud to be a San Francisco native, thirty-five year old Marinus beams with joy and conviction when he looks directly into my eyes,

“There’s a reason Maxim Magazine voted San Francisco the #1 city in the country.”

No argument here.

Marinus began working at Andronico’s sixteen years ago and today he is a Journeymen Checker and enjoys the Public Relations component of the business. My first job, while in High School was in a grocery store, and I, too loved the social aspect of the business. A smile and a warm greeting await you when you encounter Marinus.

“I try to set by example.”

He tells me one of the many qualities that set Andronico’s apart from competitors.

“We’re different than other grocery stores. We want that close knit Mom and Pop feel. We know our customers.”

“I can go anywhere in San Francisco and run into a customer. Customers have been great. I’ve had customers give me tickets to a Giant’s game and even Christmas presents.”

Recently, he ran into a customer in Las Vegas, and she called to him from twenty feet away.

“Hello Andronico’s.”

“I love running into customers. There’s energy and an openness that’s so San Francisco. It’s more than just they’re the customer and I’m the employee.”

Marinus is named after his great grandfather, grandfather and father. The origin is Greek, translated to, “of the sea”. Greek is not one of his ethnicities. He jokes,

“I have so many nationalities; I could never be a racist.”

His roots are Puerto Rican, Spanish, Dutch-Indonesian, German and Irish.

“I get my work ethic from my Mom. She’s always been my inspiration.”

He admits to some rough patches in his childhood, where as an eleven year old, a courtroom served as a backdrop and a juror approached him and said,

“You’re the bravest little boy, I have ever seen.”

He reflects on that time and knows he gained a sense of self and acquired an internal strength. He was a part of justice.

“I’m proud to be where I am in my life right now. I know who I am.”

In 1992, as a graduation gift, his Indonesian grandmother took Marinus to Indonesia.

“It wasn’t until I was in a third world country that I realized how lucky I was. I was an unappreciated, spoiled American child, but after I saw how the people lived, I realized I was blessed to live in America.”

Marinus has many interests: golf, poker, politics and movies. On a break, he’ll often sit with Robert Frank, a customer and fellow movie devotee and discuss various directors as they recite dialogue from movies that have left an indelible mark.

“I hang out with the old guys that sit here in the café. They’re like my surrogate grandfathers. One is a former History professor; another was in the military, one is from New York City. I can only learn from them, and we talk politics.”

He describes himself as a free spirit and shares his home with his thirteen year old cat, Princess, a Tabby and his dog, Bishop, a Sharpie and German Shepherd.

“Bishop is super super smart.”

Marinus is also fascinated with Pirates, pirate movies and memorabilia.

“I’ve always had a thing for pirates. My family may have descended from pirates. I think that explains my obsession.”

He has a display on his wall at home where he showcases authentic pirate swords, a replica of the gun and pictures of ships. In fact, he has a Pirate tattoo from the first Pirates of the Caribbean movie, a skull with two swords.

“People that worked on the set shop here and yesterday they took a picture of my tattoo and are going to send it to the director.”

He may or may not be a pirate, but Marinus is most definitely, “savvy.”

NEXT WEEK: MEET JANE ANNE, DIRECTOR KID STOCK INC.