UPPER SANDUSKY, OH (MARION COUNTY NOW) – A mainstay in the center of town is marking a milestone.
A & A Grocery, located at 200 N. Sandusky Avenue, is celebrating its 40th anniversary. A local landmark, this supermarket is proud to peddle groceries – and so much more.
“Customers come in and chit-chat with their favorite people,” said co-owner Deb Amos. “They greet you, and for such a small town, they know everybody, and that’s the beauty of it.”
She would know.
Amos and her husband, Jeff, bought the business in 1984 – the same year they were married. He’s the main meatcutter these days, while she does the books and works behind the scenes in the office.
The 5,000-square-foot grocery, which sits a block north of the Wyandot County Courthouse, has 30 employees, two checkout lanes, and carry-out service for every customer who walks through the door.
It’s always been that way.
Jeff himself worked as a carry-out boy during high school when the store was called Shopper’s Choice. He later got a job at Willson’s Grocery in town, where the owner showed him how to butcher meat.
When his cousin, Judy Ault, and her husband, Gary, offered them a partnership in their new venture, they couldn’t refuse. Gary had experience as a meatcutter at Rife’s Gateway, and Judy brought her CPA skills to the table.
A & A (Ault and Amos) was born.
“We’re known for our fresh produce, and obviously our meat department is a great draw. People come in for our fresh deli items, salads, and cheeses,” Deb said. “Holiday gift and fruit baskets are a big part of our business.”
Back in the early years, Deb said, shoppers needed staples but also filled their carts with fresh meat, fruit, and vegetables to prepare “scratch meals,” whereas ready-made foods are more the trend nowadays.
Employees in the beginning used pricing guns to tag products, she said. Cashiers had to painstakingly key punch every item, and the only forms of payment accepted were cash and checks.
A & A Grocery, however, changed with the times. They switched to a POS computer system and became an “Our Family” brand retailer. “Reinvesting in our business, investing in the community,” as Jeff calls it.
In 2017, Gary and Judy retired, so Jeff went back to cutting meat full-time. Many of the store’s “core staff” are still on the floor, Deb said, including two faithfuls who have been there since opening day.
Other A & A employees – mostly teenagers who landed their first jobs there – have made their “mark” on the business by signing their names and dating the large door jamb in the storeroom entrance. It’s an A & A tradition.
To celebrate their 40th, the store hosted a free cookout for the community and dished out funnel cakes and ice cream. Fourteen drawings were also held, with each winner receiving a $40 A & A gift card.
Because the grocery store is still a staple.
“It’s been a good run. We have very loyal customers who have allowed us to stay here,” Deb said. “We’re thankful to the community and employees and looking forward to many more years, and this is coming from my heart.”