When you are driving down a dusty gravel road and enter a small town, what is the first thing that draws you in? Are you visiting a friend or family member? The history? What about the local shops?
Personally, I have always been fascinated by the grocery stores. After all, everyone needs their essentials, but when you witness interactions between a small community and a local business, it’s much more than that! I spoke with the owner of Kenyon Market, Pete Wagner, about his experience.
Growing up, Pete was very familiar with the environment. In the forties, his grandfather John, had owned a grocery store and later, his father would as well. Pete decided after college that he wanted to get into the business, leading to him being a third generation grocery store owner!
“After being in the grocery business my whole life, it was a natural progression for me,” he expresses, “I have always enjoyed meeting new people. Grocery stores bring in every type of person you can think of. A great way to get to know the community!”
Originally, “Fred’s,” the building was going up for sale and Wagner could not pass up the opportunity. Previous owner, Fred Braegelmann, made Pete’s transition to Kenyon a smooth one. It is evident that he cherishes a small town! Growing up in Adams, Minnesota, he acknowledges how important it is for a community to work together while still maintaining that “homey” aspect.
“People working out of town and big box stores competing for business have really taken a toll on small town life. When my grandpa first started in Adams, there were three grocery stores with a population of seven hundred people, each filling its own niche. More and more, I see small towns like I grew up in, becoming ghost towns, but downtown Kenyon is doing amazing! There are so many businesses to choose from here! We do our best to work with our customers, whether that’s delivering groceries for seniors that aren’t able to get out or collaborating at local events. It’s what makes us different from corporate stores. It makes all the difference in the world, having a staff that is so committed and fun as well.” explains Wagner.
One of those staff members I spoke to, is Leora Alrbright. She has been at Kenyon Market for four years, being a customer myself, she always welcomes you with a warm smile. Albright has been a grocery clerk and stocker throughout this time, she really enjoys her job.
“What do you find most rewarding about working here?” I ask.
“I would say getting to see all the wonderful locals each day is very rewarding, I have such nice coworkers, a great boss and it is fun helping out different areas of the store. You see people come from all over too, specifically for the meatballs! ” she answers.
Speaking of, when it comes to Kenyon, along with many others outside of the community, celebrating Scandinavian tradition is something Pete had witnessed in his childhood but in terms of business, was not ready for this kind of demand.
“It is an amazing thing to see people home for the holidays stocking up on our pulsa and meatballs, the local churches have incredible suppers! The Scandinavian influence here runs deep, more than any place I have seen in Minnesota, and that is really saying something! I grew up with lutefisk suppers in Adams. Like they say with lutefisk - you are either in or out, there is no in between! There is also a surprising amount of young people still keeping this tradition alive.”
Pete shares. He continues to say that in November and December is when everything becomes chaotic, but he has a great team in the meat department, Sonya and Carla who makes sure everyone gets what they need during that holiday rush.
Moving forward, the store is in the process of launching a loyalty app and website. The app assembles coupons and collects points for customers towards rewards, weekly advertisements are also posted. It is available on all App stores. Looking for work? You may just be eligible to be a part of his team! Apply on the website: www.kenyonmarket.com and/or visit Pete!
Living in a small town doesn’t mean “there isn’t anything to do” you just haven’t discovered everything about it yet. One moment you’re shopping at your local grocery store trying to get through the line and go on with your day, to later notice the detail, thought, time and effort that an owner and his team went into having a dream become a reality.
