Business Buzz
By Rich Baehrle
Thursday, March 28, was a great day in Mays Landing. It was exciting to attend the grand opening and ribbon cutting for the new Grocery Outlet located at 190 Hamilton Commons.
I thought the opening of the Crumbl Cookies a month ago could not be topped, but I think the Grocery Outlet exceeded it with a tremendous crowd and super exciting giveaways. One woman won a $500 gift certificate while others won all kinds of gifts and prizes.
A big congratulations to Chukwuemeka Nnadi and his wife, Desiree, who are wonderful proprietors of the new store. They are also Stockton University graduates who chose to raise their family here.
Each Grocery Outlet is independently owned. Chukwuemeka is looking forward to becoming an integral part of the community. He said he is grateful to have begun his journey with the Sharon Hill Grocery Outlet store in Pennsylvania where he received comprehensive training and guidance from the location’s operators, Steve and Amanda.
Chukwuemeka brings to the table a vast background from the retail industry. He has a robust work background which encompasses over 13 years of convenience store management along with 17 years of leadership experience and a doctorate in management.
When you stop in and meet Chukwuemeka and Desiree, you immediately realize what special people they are.
As director of operations, Desiree is an integral part of the team. She has a decade of experience in diverse leadership roles, leading and developing managerial candidates and has shown strong performance in establishing and maintaining quality standards overseeing high-volume work groups.
The unique retail concept of the Grocery Outlet prioritizes high-quality merchandise at fair prices. The national company, established in 1946 by Jim Read in San Francisco, started by selling military surplus at deep discounts. Now, from that modest beginning, the thriving business is in its third generation and consists of over 400 stores and an estimated 1.5 million customers every week.
The Grocery Outlet encourages community involvement from their independent owners as a priority, and that is exactly what we are seeing from Chukwuemeka and Desire. They started their involvement by donating $500 to the Funny Farm animal rescue and sanctuary in Mays Landing, and $1,000 to St Vincent de Paul food bank.
Each store owner analyzes the local community to determine what their market likes most, and then the company meets the specific needs, sourcing everything from fresh meats and produce, to their natural and organic NOSH items, to what they call WOW deals.
If you are looking for a special retail grocery experience, make it a point to visit the Grocery Outlet at the Hamilton Commons along the Black Horse Pike in Mays Landing.
Remember to support local businesses, especially small businesses.
Rich Baehrle, of Berkshire Hathaway Fox and Roach, can be reached at 609-266-6680
or 609-641-0011. Email richardbaehrle@gmail.com or see www.getrichinrealestateSJ.com
