Busch’s Fresh Food Market is celebrating 28 years of opening its doors to schoolchildren through free, hands-on store tours designed to educate, inspire and connect. What began as an opportunity to introduce a new Livonia store to the neighborhood has grown into a program that has reached thousands of children in southeast Michigan, with school classes, scout troops and youth groups visiting stores to learn where their food comes from, how it is handled safely and how everyday choices support a healthier lifestyle.
At the center of the experience is Pat Grimes, a longtime Busch’s team member who has led the tours since the beginning. Known to many children as “Mr. Pat,” Grimes turns a routine trip to the store into an interactive learning experience.
“These tours are about sparking curiosity,” said Grimes, of Ypsilanti. “We want kids to feel excited about trying new foods, understand how the food gets to their plate and see how even small actions, like recycling, can make a difference in their community.”
On the tours, children explore the produce department to learn how fruits and vegetables are grown, visit seafood and meat to understand sourcing and freshness, and see how refrigeration and freezing play a role in food safety.
Sustainability is a key part of the experience: at the recycling center, children learn how returning bottles and cans keeps materials out of landfills, and many see the store’s cardboard baler compact boxes into bundles that are recycled into new packaging.
A rite of passage
The tours have become a rite of passage in many communities; in some cases, nearly every first grader in a town has visited their local Busch’s. Participation varies by year, with 15 tours hosted in spring 2025 and more continuing throughout 2026. After nearly three decades, Grimes estimates he has guided thousands of children, many of whom return years later with families of their own.
“The impact of these tours goes far beyond a single visit,” said Bobby Turner, president of Busch’s Fresh Food Market. “We’re helping children build healthy habits, understand where their food comes from and see how businesses can be responsible members of the community. It’s one of the many ways we live out our commitment to the neighborhoods we serve.”
Part of overall community investment
The tours join Busch’s other community investments, including its Cash for Education program for local schools, donations to food banks Food Gatherers and Forgotten Harvest and biannual milk drives. Schools and youth groups can schedule a tour by emailing [email protected].
Founded in 1975 and headquartered in Ann Arbor, Michigan, family-owned Busch’s operates 16 stores in Wayne, Oakland, Washtenaw, Lenawee and Livingston counties and employs more than 1,600 associates.
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