In a tour of Iola’s new G&W Foods on Tuesday, U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran remarked on its significance.
“It’s a reminder of how important such a store is,” he said. “For many, it’s a determining factor of where they choose to live.”
The store is on target to open at 10 a.m. Friday.
Chris O’Hara, regional manager for G&W, told Moran the store’s philosophy is stand apart from the Big Box mentality, “whether it’s a personal standpoint or a customer service issue. We try to have a focus of buying locally. If Jimmy across the street has a garden with six tomato plants and he comes in one day with 40 tomatoes, we’ll buy them from him. We’ll look up to see what our cost is to our wholesaler, and we’ll say here’s what we’re paying for tomatoes today.”
G&W also works to carry local brand, including the honey produced by Iola’s Hawley Honey company, which is carried throughout G&W’s 26 stores. “To be honest, I didn’t even know it was made here,” he said. “I just knew it was good honey.”
O’Hara said G&W is “always looking for growth. Though that’s not the norm these days for independent retailers.”
The Iola store currently has 50 employees, O’Hara said. They expect to be fully staffed at 75.
PHOTO: Chris O’Hara, right, district manager for G&W Foods, speaks with Sen. Jerry Moran, left, and Bill Maness, Allen County’s economic development director, Tuesday. The new Iola grocery store is scheduled to open Friday. REGISTER/RICHARD LUKEN
