Rural Grocery Spotlight: Hometown Market (Kiowa, Kansas)

Cody Jackson is the assistant manager, Mike Miller is the cooperative board president, and Alice Wright is the general manager for Hometown Market, a cooperative grocery store in Kiowa, Kansas with an incredible 82-year-long history. According to Cody, the store was “started as a farmer's market open 24/7 during World War II.” The store supports community organizations and over the last three years has donated over one ton of goods to their food pantry in collaboration with a 5K run walk event put on by veterans on Memorial Day. Today, the store employs twelve employees and roughly 80% of the town’s 900 residents are members of the store. Cody and Mike spoke with us about their store. Read highlights from our interview with them (which has been edited for length) below.

 

Can you explain how the store’s ownership model works?

Cody: It's based on what you spend. So the more you spend, the more you get. In a good year, we give up to 2%. So every $100, they were getting about two bucks back.

Mike: One way we explain to people their investment: the dividend would equal out to three weeks of basically free groceries.

How would you describe the role that your store plays in the local community?

Mike: There’s basically three entities that, if we lose them, we’ll lose the town. We’ll really suffer. Which is the school, the hospital, and the grocery store... The amount of employment those three entities provide and services they provide are vital to the survival of the community.

What do you think your store is most known for?

Cody: Our chicken fried steak day. We make homemade gravy. We made the chicken fried in house with our butcher and we do that every Wednesday. And that is what everyone in this town looks forward to, because it’s all from scratch... And also what we’re known for is our customer service.

Can you talk more about your customer service?

Cody: We’re one of very few stores that will carry your groceries to your car. And we offer deliveries curbside. Everyone will talk to you with a smile on their face. We respect being a small town. We’re most likely going to know your name when you walk through the door and you’re greeted.

Can you talk about some of the biggest challenges that your store faces day-to-day?

Cody: It’s the cost of goods, especially in the fresh meat department... The rising costs are out of control.

Mike: Since COVID, it has not backed off. It’s really hurting us.

Is there anything that you are needing to get done or that you are hoping to do in the future?

Cody: The next big project that we’re looking to do as soon as funds become available is upgrading our last two coolers we have.

Mike: We started to upgrade the coolers right after COVID through grants and donations and we’re getting to where we’re getting close to having all the coolers updated. Coolers are always a pain. Even the new ones, something breaks down monthly if not more. In the cooler aspect, keeping them running efficiently is a battle.

What advice would you give to other rural grocers, especially anybody who’s just starting out?

Cody: You gotta have the community behind you.

Mike: If they’re not going to support you, you’re out of luck.

Is there anything else that you want to share about your store?

Mike: We’re very proud of our store. We’re very proud of what we do for the community and that is the atmosphere in the store.

 

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