Lester Cohen C & S Wholesale Grocers
Lester Cohen started in the food business when he was just 5 years old, helping to load boxes for his father, Israel Cohen, and his partner Abraham Siegel, who founded C&S in Worcester, MA in 1918.
Leaving the family business during World War II, Lester served as a navigator on a B-24 Flying Fortress, flying 42 missions over the Philippines and Okinawa. Lester rejoined his father at C&S after the war and immersed himself in the business, always with an eye for new opportunities to modernize and streamline procedures and operations.
Lester quickly became the top C&S salesman, obvious to everyone he met that his warm and friendly manner was a major asset. His cordial and agreeable approach to every retailer he called on resulted in a rapidly growing customer base as more and more store operators signed on to work with C&S.
Sometimes characterized as “too nice a guy”, he responded that “I was persistent as I could be. I tried to be nice to all the customers, but made a pain in the neck of myself with them until they agreed to buy!”
In addition to the remarkable achievements associated with growing a business, Lester is just as proud of his 66 year marriage to his wife, Norma.
