Staff Writer
ASHLAND – It might have been a cold day when Sheila and Leon Buckingham opened the Ashland Food Mart back on Jan. 28, 1982, but cold conditions have done little to keep customers away from the family-owned and –operated business.
“It was cold, cold, cold. Me and another guy built the business because we wanted a store. Neither of us had any training; we learned as we went, taking advantage of advice from others,” said Leon Buckingham. “We listened to what others told us, learned from our mistakes and kept on going.”
Now, 25 years later, the Buckinghams not only serve the grocery needs of Ashland residents but surrounding communities as well.
“We’re the only grocery store in the area. There are a few convenience stores but no other full-service grocers. We have a full line of groceries; a meat counter; deli department offering breads, deli meats, meat platters and stuff like that. The deli is a popular part of the store,” said Buckingham.
The store also serves as an agency liquor store, offering a wide selection of liquor and beer.
“We also have a redemption center operated from a separate building on site,” said Buckingham.
Scratch lottery tickets are available for purchase as well.
The staff is made up of approximately 15 employees.
“We’ve been from 10-18 since we started, depending on the time of year,” Buckingham continued.
“We’ve trained an awful lot of school kids. They start as bag boys, then move on to college and we get the next batch to train.”
Business at Ashland Food Mart is a year-round opportunity, said Buckingham.
“Business has been good and is pretty good in the summer when more folks are heading to Portage Lake or camping in the woods. Year-round homes at places like Portage make a difference. In the winter, we have the snow sled trail that goes right by us. That’s good now that the snow is here,” said Buckingham.
Communities served include: Ashland, Oxbow, Garfield Plantation, Masardis and Portage Lake.
With 25 years of service to several area communities, the owners have developed a relationship with many of the patrons who shop week after week – this includes second and third generation customers.
“We’ve been here 25 years; we think that means something. It’s one of those things you don’t know what you did right when you have a big crowd and you don’t always know what went wrong when no one shows up. You just have to keep trying – making changes and offering the best service possible,” said Buckingham.
Hours of operation vary, Buckingham said.
“We’re open seven days a week: Monday through Wednesday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Thursday and Friday, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Saturday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.,” said Buckingham.
For information, contact 435-6451.
