MILDRED — Sure, the Mildred Store still offers a Norman Rockwellian oasis in today’s breakneck-paced, 21st century climate.
From their monthly music night jamborees, to other community events such as prom dress sales and a fundraiser for a local softball player, Loren and Regena Lance strive to offer much more than groceries.
Those efforts have caught the attention across the country.
The Lances were invited to the National Grocers Association Conference last week in Las Vegas, where they were one of 25 “outstanding independents” in the United States.
“It was pretty cool,” Regena Lance said. “We don’t know what the criteria was, but all of the companies they honored work with communities in some manner that’s more than just groceries.”
During the Feb. 26 awards ceremony, Progressive Grocer, a group that bills itself as “the voice of the retail food industry,” pointed to the Mildred Store’s growth in the eight years since the Lances took over the business.
“HIstory is part and parcel of this indie grocer,” Progressive Grocer said in a write-up about the store. “They have continued many traditions, but are also forging new ones to meet the needs of today’s shoppers.”
On top of their signature deli sandwiches, the Lances include several of the same items of yesteryear — when it was became something of a Mildred-based landmark under the proprietorship of Charlie and Lucille Brown — from retro candies to regionally made Amish goods.
And while the Saturday evening music shows the third Saturday of every month draw most of the attention, the Lances regularly open the store for local gatherings, fundraisers and even car shows.
Prom dresses, for example, will be on display starting Friday through March 17 for high-schoolers to find affordable options for gowns, shoes, even jewelry.
In addition, Mildred Store hosted a fundraiser dinner for Marmaton Valley High senior Madi Lawson, who has been invited to play softball for Team USA in the Dominican Republic in July.
“It’s a matter of reaching out to the community in unique ways through food,” Lance said.
THE VEGAS trip almost never happened, Lance chuckled.
She received an email from the conference organizers earlier this year, noting Mildred Store had been chosen as one of the honorees.
Lance thought it was a sales pitch, a sly attempt to get them to pay for a large advertisement in some magazine
