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Stratton Country Market -- Volunteers key to revival of old-time community grocery store
STRATTON -- The staff of the new grocery store in Stratton plans a grand opening celebration Saturday, offering food specials and samples to entice new shoppers and express appreciation to old shoppers who have returned.
"Stratton Country Market" is a re-creation of grocery stores from the community's past 35 years or so. But this time, there are a couple of twists -- twists that could insure the community support that is vital to the survival of a small-town business: Stratton Country Market's paid staff is supported by a core of volunteers, and all are Stratton-area residents bent on keeping open a local grocery store.
Store manager Gladys Brockway said the community's volunteerism and willingness to support the local effort is what allowed the grocery store's doors to reopen.
Gladys offered this history of the grocery stores on the corner of Bailey and Highway 34, Stratton's main streets: Kerry and Cindy Krutsinger opened their store, "Paul's IGA," about 35 years ago, and ran it in conjunction with Cindy's father's store in Benkelman. The Krutsingers sold the store to Craig and Chris Horobik, who ran it for about four years and closed it in May 2005.
Several local residents, calling their group "StratCom LLC," purchased the building and some equipment at an auction in August 2006. Neither StratCom nor the Stratton Chamber of Commerce could find anyone with the resources to reopen and manage the store, so it sat empty.
Gladys said it was during the summer of 2006 that she realized that not only did Stratton residents need a grocery store, but, if the community ever wanted to attract new residents, a grocery store was going to be a must. She went to Stratton banker Bill Zahl and said, ""We need to get a grocery store. And I'll help."
In August and September, Gladys and a group of interested citizens started the groundwork and research necessary to reopen the grocery store. They visited area grocery stores in Southwest Nebraska and Northwest Kansas, and Bird City grocery store owner Brenda Johnson offered to let the Stratton store purchase its groceries through her Affiliated grocery store in Bird City.
The offer was a good one, "to team together" with the Bird City store, Gladys said. So, the process moved on, and with the support of a group of Stratton citizens -- shareholders and many, many donors -- a new corporation called "Stratton Foods Inc." began the process of leasing the property, purchasing new equipment, improving the electrical system and installing new refrigeration equipment in the last half of 2007. A $70,000 loan from a Hitchcock County community development recapture loan program also helped with start-up costs.
It took a community effort of volunteers to get the store ready to open, Gladys said, "The whole community pulled together to do this," she said -- starting in September 2007 with cleaning, repairing and painting. New floor coverings, new registers, a new price-scanning system. A new office. A new sign.
Gladys declined to "name names" of volunteers because the list is so long. At last count, it included 52 names, Gladys said. "I can't say enough about the community's effort," she said. "I may have been the ringleader, but this store would not have happened without the community and its volunteers."
On top of the county loan and in addition to the labor and time it donated, the community kicked in about $112,000.
Gladys had $65,000 to stock the new store's shelves, she said, and she studied and studied the Affiliated food book. "We want to get the most for our money," she said, and she purchased, and continues to purchase, fresh produce, meats and staples ... many with the Shurfine label instead of pricier brand names.
The store threw open its doors for its first customers Jan. 9, 2008, and the response has been wonderful, Gladys said. "We've seen community support," she said. "We're pleased with the number of shoppers."
"Why would you not shop here?," Gladys asked, citing good products, fair prices, convenient hours, assistance in the store, and carry-out service.
The paid staff includes Gladys as manager and Val Rogers as assistant manager, and clerks Cricket Reagan, Peri Wissink and Dale Hicks. "No one was on the payroll until the store opened and turned its first dollar," Gladys said.
The store has been open a month now, and the community spirit continues: Volunteers go to Bird City every Monday and Thursday to get groceries off the Affiliated truck, and, back in Stratton, unpack the products and stock the shelves.
"The volunteer spirit is very special," Gladys said. "I could not do this myself."
On a recent Tuesday afternoon, Joyce Johnson of Stratton pushed her grocery cart up and down the store's aisles. She is delighted with the way the store looks -- so bright and so clean.
Joyce said she shops here often, " ... because we lost the store once, and I don't want to lose it again."