A college assignment helped steer Bob Kleszics into a career in the grocery business. Founder and CEO of Harvest Market in Hockessin, Delaware, Kleszics was an anthropology major at the University of Delaware in 1979 when he took a field methods class. For the course, the student goes outside the classroom and into a group’s […]
Category: Market Profile
Posted inMarket Profile, Association News, Northeast
‘Modest’ Describes Current, Future Growth In Delaware
The Delaware economy has been on a gradual growth trajectory over the past five years. According to researcher IbisWorld, the population has grown 1.3 percent leading up to 2025, reaching just under 1.06 million. Its gross state product reached $76.3 billion by the beginning of the year, reflecting 1.0 percent growth over five years, and […]
Posted inMarket Profile, Independent Store News, Southwest
Destination Grocery Store To Open At New Address In Marathon, TX
Some grocers are born into the business and some choose it. Some just seem to have it in their blood and are able to create not just stores, but destinations. Sam Stavinoha has created such a place in the tiny West Texas town of Marathon, a stop on the way south to Big Bend National […]
Posted inMarket Profile, Association News, Southwest
West Texas Economy Growing But Still Relies On Oil/Gas Fortunes
Gary Huddleston has a rich history in the grocery business, serving nearly 45 years as director of consumer affairs at Kroger and today continuing his service as a grocery industry consultant for the Texas Retailers Association. TRA represents retail companies across Texas, including national, regional, state and main street grocery, mass, home improvement, pharmacy and […]
Posted inMarket Profile, Independent Store News, Midwest
Jim’s SuperValu Thrives In Rural ND With Community-focused Innovation
For nearly 40 years, Jim’s SuperValu in Park River, North Dakota, has been a cornerstone of its rural community. Co-owner Diana Hahn, who has spent decades working in the store her parents purchased in 1986, understands the unique challenges and opportunities that come with running an independent grocery store in a small town. “My dad […]
Posted inMarket Profile, Association News, Midwest
North Dakota’s Grocers Adapting Amid Economic Shifts
North Dakota’s grocery industry is navigating changes, shaped by population growth, economic shifts and evolving consumer habits, according to John “Jiggs” Dyste, president of the North Dakota Grocers Association. “We only have some 700,000 people in the whole state,” Dyste said. “I think as far as growth, we’re probably in the top five for people […]
Posted inMarket Profile, Northeast
Maine’s Rural Character, Aging Population, Shrinking Workforce Affect Grocers
In fall 2023, Costco opened its first and only store in Maine. A few months later, value-based retailer Market Basket opened a new location in Topsham. At the time, the buzz among shoppers in the greater Portland area was palpable and left many hopeful this would signal a wave of other food retailers wanting to […]
Posted inIndependent Store News, Market Profile, Piggly Wiggly, Southeast
At Garrett’s Piggly Wiggly, Understanding Customers’ Needs ‘Part Of What We Do Well’
The Shelby Report of the Southeast recently visited with Steve Garrett, president and owner of Garrett’s Piggly Wiggly stores in the Lower Alabama town of Troy, about the challenges of operating grocery stores. How did you get started in the grocery industry? My parents opened an 18,000-square-foot store in Troy in 1986, and I […]