[Southsider2k12]

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4/12/2009 11:00:00 AM Email this article • Print this article
How does Al's continue to thrive?

Joseph Malan
The News-Dispatch

MICHIGAN CITY - For Gil Pontius, one old saying seems to hold true.

"Competition makes everybody better," he says.

Pontius, owner of Al's Supermarket and president of Lakeshore Foods Corp., has experienced a ton of competition in Michigan City between big box grocers and "neighborhood" stores since the late '70s.

"I don't think Michigan City is any different than any other local area; it's very competitive," Pontius continued.

But things have certainly changed since Pontius first got started in the grocery business, 30 years after his father, Al Pontius, started his store.

He said he's seen a lot of stores come and go, such as A&P, a once prominent grocery chain, and several independent stores. However, Al's has stayed rooted in the city since 1945.

So with new stores like Walmart Supercenter and Meijer entering the fold, how does Pontius retain and even increase his customer base?

Pontius' daughter and Lakeshore Foods Corp. Vice President Alexis Pontius-Jones said it starts with product innovation.

"We're always seeking out the best new quality items to offer customers the best around," she said. "We're able to move quickly at new trends."

The ability to recognize new trends, Pontius-Jones continued, is an advantage to being a locally owned supermarket.

Like K&M Foods, Al's Supermarket also offers a grocery delivery service. Employees also offer carryouts and grocery bagging, something you don't see too often anymore, Pontius-Jones said.

Along with the true concept of "buying local," Al's turns into a sort of farmer's market in the summertime. That's because they offer an assortment of locally grown produce.

"We've always bought the best fresh produce from Southwest Michigan," Pontius-Jones said. "Our corn is picked locally, literally the day before."

Also, Al's sells chicken brought in from Goshen.

Another important aspect of being a local grocer, Pontius said, is being involved in the community. Al's participates in United Way money drives every year, and they've been involved in projects with The Salvation Army, La Porte Community Schools and La Porte Hospital.

Despite the benefits of running a locally owned grocery store, there are still challenges out there, Pontius said.

"In a stagnant market when competition comes in, they're gonna take market share away," he said. "You can't control the competition. You take care of what you can control and don't waste energy worrying about what you can't control."

Like Pontius, Al Tokoly, general manager of K&M Foods, said the big box stores routinely affect his business.

"I would say I'd be lying if Walmart didn't hurt us business-wise," he said, though he wishes Walmart were right across the street, so he could benefit from all the traffic.

Tokoly sometimes has to sell things like milk below cost, but at least his customers keep coming back.

"If we know a customer and know what kind of cigarettes they want we've got them up on the counter before they even come up," he said.

[davew]

http://thenewsdispatch.com/main.asp?Sectio...amp;TM=42203.22

Cool, I been looking for some place that will sell David's Low Sodium Sunflower Seeds

[ChickenCityRoller]

I really like Al's. I still buy any important cuts over at East Side though. I like AL's because it's local, they do use lots of local produce and they have some nicer items. Some of thier pricing is a little out of wack, but I'm usually all for supporting them.