Another lesson from the grocery store coffee shop

I’m back at the local grocery store coffee shop tonight. This time I’m waiting for my daughter at gymnastics. As I’m typing away, two greying gentleman dressed in button-down shirts walk in carrying a tray nearly overflowing with deli foods.

One, in particular, was super chatty. He made eye contact upon entering and greeted me with a big smile and a friendly hello. I asked him what he had on the tray and he explained that it was chicken fingers and pizza slices. Without missing a beat, he offered me one of each.

He went on to explain that he was the CEO of this local grocery store chain and that the gentleman with him was a board member. I have always admired the way this store is managed so I told them so.

You see, in 2017, the third generation of this store’s founding family was ready to retire and there was no heir apparent. The business was very successful; I suspect they could have easily sold it to a national grocer and I’m sure the PE giants were salivating. Instead, though, they sold all 13 of their stores to their employees through an ESOP.

Not only that, they left the leadership team largely intact for five years after the sale to ensure a smooth transition. And when that leader was ready to retire, they promoted a seasoned grocery-industry executive with experience both inside and outside of the organization.

When the ESOP was announced, the second generation president was quoted as saying, “This is the right thing to do for our family, our customers and suppliers … We have deep and longstanding relationships with thousands of customers and farmers in the communities we serve, and we owe them a debt of gratitude for their loyalty and support over the past 88 years.”

Imagine that. A company that appreciates the partnerships they’ve developed and decides to do what’s best for everyone involved instead of extracting as much cash as possible and leaving everyone else to fend for themselves. Their decision resulted in stable jobs, families, tax base, community development and more.

Among other things, the CEO and I chatted about the sense of community they’re creating with these in-store coffee shops and how that naturally translates to increased sales.

Any CEO and board member who would happily spend their evening munching fried foods in their own store, chatting it up with a random community member is A-OK in my book. They’re running their business with integrity and a focus on community. And they’re “real people” like you and me. They’re not sequestered on the top floor of some glass office building, dashing to their next meeting by helicopter. No, they’re rolling up their sleeves at the in-store cafe eating pizza and fried chicken.

I’m glad I ran into these two. They restored my faith in humanity. It turns out that, even in today’s toxic work landscape, you can run a business in an ethical manner and still be profitable. Imagine that.