Food Stories From Martha's Vineyard Part 2
1939 country store seen, Courtesy of Library of Congress
Barber Allen Mederios was born in 1903. She grew up on Martha’s Vineyard on a family farm. She had this to say about the relationship between her family and the store they use the purchase food staples. Her father would generally go to the store early on a Saturday morning with a horse and team and do the shopping at Sam Cronig’s store located on Main Street in vineyard Haven once a week. In those days you bought things in bulk and if you couldn’t haul it home yourself they would send somebody out to deliver it to the house. She describes Cronig as a nice man who always helped poor people in need. So how do you obtain customers when you operate a community store like Mr. Cronig’s? Have giveaways in your store for your customers in which they can sample products that use stock and sell. In the summertime eliminate made by fresh picked lemons or lemonade mix that you sell. You are what your employees provide samples of popsicles and/or ice cream that you selling your store. In the wintertime have hot tea, coffee, or cider on hand that people can self serve into small paper cups. Greet people with a smile when they come in your door make eye contact with the and acknowledge that you see them and appreciate them coming in. Keep your eye on them that they look like they need help offered to them or at the very least let them know you’re available to help them find products that would help them. Generally, be more than just a store be a destination where people want to hang out.
