A.J.'s Produce

Arthur Robinson, Known as “Mr. Okra,” Dies at 75 | Eater New Orleans

"A fixture in New Orleans, his brightly painted Ford F-150 and amplified song announcing his presence and bounty made him one of the city's last mobile produce vendors; he spent decades slinging fresh fruits and vegetables and evoked an era when goods were sold door-to-door. His father was the original Mr. Okra, and Arthur Robinson took up the title full-time about 30 years ago. His work was well documented—he was the subject of a short documentary, a children's book, and even an In Your Pocket keychain that recorded his signature refrain—and Southern Living named him one of the top Southerners of 2017. He died Thursday evening at 75 from natural causes at his home, his stepson said. Liz Williams of the National Food & Beverage Foundation remembered him as a bridge between the city's historic vendors with "enticing and familiar singing cries" and today's modern mix of street vendors, public address systems, and motor vehicles, saying, "Losing him means the close of an era." - Alison Baitz