At a time when anyone can order lighting fixtures off Amazon or wander the aisles of Home Depot or Lowe’s and select something readily available and cheap, visiting Hobrecht or Lofings can feel like a trip to a different era. Still, there’s a story worth telling connected to each of these Sacramento stores which shows how family businesses can endure even in changing times.

Eric and Tracy Denio remember Roseville before it was a suburban powerhouse — back when their childhood days were spent roaming among fields, ranches, ponds and gravel pits. Flash forward to today, and Denio’s Farmers Market & Swap Meet is surrounded by oceans of homes and shopping centers that span for miles in every direction. But one thing that hasn’t changed is its ethos.

Founded in 1897 by William Francis Gormley, W.F. Gormley & Sons is anchored by traditional values of dignity and compassion. But they’re not stuffy. The business caters to all religions and beliefs, evolving to meet the needs of a clientele who increasingly request eco-friendly “green burials” and newer technologies like water cremation.

Driving along a country road in rural Sutter County and seeing endless rows of corn, you can’t help but think of the movie “Field of Dreams.” The Sills family decided to build their dream eight decades ago. Pleasant Grove Farms, a family-owned, certified organic grain and bean farm, has been growing corn and other crops for nearly 80 years. 

Founded in 1867, Bank of Stockton is the oldest bank in California still operating under its original charter. This longevity and continuity in serving communities with Bank of Stockton branches — as of November, there will be 21 locations throughout the Central Valley — sets this family business apart.