Powered by meat department, store surpasses expectations On the main street of McCaysville, Georgia, with the Tennessee border in its back yard, sits Hometown Foods IGA. Edward Vest and his wife, Lisa, have owned the picturesque mountain town’s sole grocery store for nearly 21 years. Vest, who grew up in McCaysville, began his life in […]
Category: Market Profile
Posted inMarket Profile, Midwest
Independent Grocer Most Enjoys ‘Creating New Niches’ For Customers
Red’s Hometown Market IGA also features craft brewery, barbecue eatery and coffee shop Patrick Longmire, owner of Red’s Hometown Market IGA in Spring Grove, Minnesota, grew up in the grocery business. His parents purchased a small grocery store and bar in 1953 in St. Joseph, Wisconsin. They sold that business in 1963, then opened a […]
Posted inMarket Profile, Northeast
New Year, Ongoing Challenges For Grocers Across Pine Tree State
MGFPA director: Rising costs ‘continue to make for a taxing time to be in business’ While the economy in Maine continues to be challenging, the state entered the new year with a more than $280 million budget surplus, according to Christine Cummings, executive director of the Maine Grocers & Food Producers Association. While this is […]
Posted inMarket Profile, Southwest
Economy In New Mexico Has Made ‘Major Improvement’ Over Past Year
While New Mexico’s economy is not bad, it’s also not very strong, according to Breck Stewart, executive director of the New Mexico Grocers Association. Stewart also is an independent grocer in Albuquerque. “Our unemployment percentage is pretty good in the state, but it seems that most businesses have ‘help wanted’ signs posted. The supply chain […]
Posted inMarket Profile, Northeast
Brackett’s Market Focuses On Personalized Customer Service
Owner credits employees for store’s success in downtown Bath Bath, Maine is a coastal town of some 8,700 people located about 40 miles north of Portland. “Or as we always like to say, we’re 20 minutes north of L.L. Bean, because everybody knows L.L. Bean,” said Kimberly Brackett, co-owner and VP of Brackett’s Market. Located […]
Posted inMarket Profile, Midwest
Grocers Association Pursuing Productive Legislative Session
Official says budget surplus has ‘a lot of folks asking for a lot of things’ Minnesota began 2023 with a projected state budget surplus of more than $17 billion, according to Jamie Pfuhl, president of the Minnesota Grocers Association. “A lot of people have a lot of ideas how to spend the money,” she said. […]
Posted inMarket Profile, West
Arizona Official Recalls Family’s Roots In Grocery
Fungs ran New State Market in Phoenix for six decades Kimberly Yee is many things. First and foremost, she is Arizona’s state treasurer. But she also is the granddaughter of Y.W. and Sue Fung, who founded New State Market in Phoenix. The Fungs opened the grocery store in 1933 at Seventh Avenue and Buckeye Road […]
Posted inMarket Profile, West
Parched State Also Battling Supply Chain Strain, Homelessness
AFMA aims to ensure members aware of issues The Arizona Food Marketing Alliance turns 80 this year. With the anniversary, comes a new motto: “Respect the past…Embrace the future.” The AFMA has four major goals for 2023. The group intends to grow its membership, improve the AFMA Journal, remain a solid source of information for […]