| Town grows
By Andrea Yeutter
Collegian Reporter
Although it still remains small, the list
of things to do in Hillsdale is growing.
New to the list this fall, as many returning
students discovered, was Super Wal-Mart, one of the few places
in Hillsdale open after 10 p.m. Careful observers may have also
noticed several other additions to the Hillsdale business community
this semester.
A trip up M-99 reveals the new look of Market
House, a family-owned grocery store since 1941. In addition
to the physical facelift of the building, many new elements
have been added to Market House.
Brett Boyd, fourth generation president and
general manager of Market House, said he and his father began
developing a strategy for the supermarket three years ago.
"So many family-owned supermarkets were
going out of business because of competition that we knew we
needed to reinvent ourselves," Boyd said. "The big
guys are putting a hurtin' on the small-town grocer, but we've
been here since 1941, and it's our goal to stay."
The list of improvements began.
First, the J.C. Penney catalogue pick-up site
was added, followed by a Centennial Wireless kiosk, one-hour
photo, a beer and wine aisle, and the Confection Connection
bakery, which moved from downtown Hillsdale to the grocery.
From November 2002 to November 2003, the store
was remodeled and now includes several small eateries: Blimpie,
Smoothie Island, Mackinac Island Creamery and Domino's, which
rents space from the store.
arket House also purchased the Purple Turtle,
a children's clothing store previously located downtown.
Boyd said Smoothie Island has been a huge
hit with the college crowd, as well as the breakfast, lunch
and dinner options that are presented to the community through
the new food court.
Also expanded and improved is the produce
section of the store, which now has a separate title called
Farmer's Market.
Boyd said he takes great pride in his staff,
whose uniforms of white button-down shirts and green aprons
hearken back to a day when hard work and friendly customer service
were valued far more than the bottom line.
"Super Wal-Mart and the new Kroger definitely
created challenges for sales, but we'll continue to succeed
based on our people and our service," he said. "We
have a lot of community involvement, and our customers know
that if they spend a dollar here, some of that is going to end
up back in the community."
Another new face in the commercial community
is Fire-n-Ice, a junior clothing store located in downtown Hillsdale.
The shop is owned by area resident Roger Nevins, 56, and daughter
Tiffany Sober, 28.
Two years ago, after serving as operations
manager at Comcast for 33 years, Nevins lost his job due to
downsizing. He then decided to open his own business and began
brainstorming.
His breakthrough occurred one day while shopping
with daughters Laura Patterson, 34, and Sober.
"I've always liked to go shopping with
my girls," Nevins said. "Then one day I was sitting
in the mall and I noticed this trendy junior's shop. Almost
everyone who went in was coming out with bags."
Nevins and his daughters made a closer inspection
of the store, and when he asked for their opinion on starting
a similar store in Hillsdale, they responded with enthusiasm.
"Since Maurice's had closed there wasn't
really anywhere else to shop in Hillsdale," Sober said.
"So we decided to try."
Sober, previously employed by a pharmacy and
a chiropractic clinic, quit her job to become the buyer and
store manager, and in just three months the father-daughter
duo was ready for business.
Both Nevins and Sober said they knew nothing
about clothing retail when they decided to pursue the venture.
Nevins and Sober purchased the space formerly
occupied by the Purple Turtle. With minimal structure changes,
and the purchase of several computers, they were ready to fill
the store with retail.
After attending numerous pricey trade shows,
Sober finally struck gold with an online showroom based out
of California, which, with over 50 manufacturers, gives her
a variety of products from which to choose.
Sober mostly chooses trendy, colorful clothing
in limited quantities, which allows for more rotation of merchandise.
Reasonable pricing is also a key consideration.
"Little by little business is improving,"
she said. "Every week we pick up more customers, just by
word of mouth, I guess."
Although the merchandise is marketed mostly
to 12- to 25-year-olds, Sober says that 40- and 50-year-old
women are some of her best customers.
"One time a 75-year-old woman came in
looking for coats," Nevins said. "Her arms were all
bruised and I guess she had just been in the hospital a week
before with a heart attack-but I guess she still wanted to dress
young."
Both Nevins and Sober say they hope to expand
the store, and are expecting a line of bath products, belts
and swimwear to arrive soon.
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