Frank and Martha

My first job in the grocery business was at Frank and Martha's Warner Street Grocery in Chico. Just a tiny 'Mom and Pop' with wood floors, creaky swinging door and a buzzer under the counter that rang through to Frank and Martha's home behind the store. Warner street leads right down to Chico State so the joint would be jumping during lunch, popular for store's offering of fresh made to order sandwiches, the line would be out the door. Neighborhood folks would come in and visit while they shopped too, no one seemed to mind waiting in line while I made sandwiches and checked people out. Now some 35ish years later, that's kinda what I do today! Susanville Market is a Mom and Pop store, serving it's community, visiting with locals, welcoming visitors to our town and feeding the people. We love what we do. 

Part of being in the grocery industry is learning what our customer's ever changing needs are and how other grocers are serving their communities. The times they are a-changin. Always. This means we go on store tours, LOTS of store tours. We get to see how stores are being reshaped, larger fresh food offerings, pre-cut produce, grab and go healthy choices, order online all things we have found successful and necessary to keep up with your needs. Since this is the ONLY store I shop I am oh-so-grateful to have this in my favorite store :)

On a recent road trip to Central Cal we discovered something as simple as turning the label on those big fat breakfast burritos we make fresh every single day (they are delish) showed how rotund those babies really are. Plus we came home with a tried and true sour dough starter for the Bakery shared with us by our friends at Valley Fresh in Solvang, they make an amazing assortment of bread we will be replicating! Even kept on ice that starter began growing and had to be divided before we got it home. It. Is. Alive! Plus ideas like, removing the shelf in our Deli case so it has more light, turn the rotisserie so you can see those chickens roasting, bakery cookie sandwiches, pie by the slice, signage and display ideas for produce, craft sodas... all ideas found in other independent supermarkets. I'm really excited about a few other ideas in the works that I'll be sharing with you as we get started, stay tuned! 

While we are out there on store tours we make sure to take in some of the beauty California has to offer. Tip to tail this State is magnificent. Honestly I had no idea this would be the career for me but I can't imagine anything I'd rather do. Being at the center of our fine community makes me Hometown Proud every day.