bp_062612_014.pdf
14 Broadcaster Press
June 26, 2012 www.broadcasteronline.com
Gregg and Nikki Peters, owners of Jones’ Food Center, announced Tuesday that after 17 years, they will close their grocery store early next month. The couple plans to expand Jones’ Ace
Hardware in the building currently housing the food market.
(Photo by David Lias)
Jones’ Food Center closing
By David Lias
david.lias@plaintalk.net
In what Operations
Manager Bob Starr terms
as an effort to “refocus,”
Gregg and Nikki Peters
have decided to close Jones’
Food Center in Vermillion.
In its place will be a
much larger Jones’ Ace
Hardware.
“It is a refocusing,” Starr
said. “The first three years
competing against a WalMart, we did very well. In a
town the size of Vermillion,
to be able to sustain and
grow the first three years
against a formidable player
such as Wal-Mart, and
having another big store
with Hy-Vee in town is
certainly admirable, but the
last three years, once the
economy turned
(downward), it became
increasingly difficult.”
For a good portion of
the time Jones’ Food
Center was open in
Vermillion, its only
competitor in town was
Hy-Vee. The addition of
Wal-Mart to the city in
2006 with its food store
gave local people a third
option for grocery
shopping.
For most of its 17 years
in Vermillion, Starr said,
Jones’ Food Center was
able to fill a unique niche.
“Ultimately, when the
economy really turned here
about three years ago … we
started to lose some of
those customers (to Hy-Vee
and WalMart),” he said,
“even though we believe we
have the finest meat in
South Dakota, we have a
great selection of natural
and organic foods – things
they don’t carry. We would
put up our quality against
anybody’s on any given day.
“But the fact of the
matter is, those guys are in
business and they are very
good at what they do,” Starr
said, “and it has just
become tougher and
tougher for a family
business to compete against
the likes of the Wal-Marts
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Starr said the decision to
close the food store did not
come easily to Gregg and
Nikki.
“When Ace Hardware
came to us and approached
us with this idea, it was
something we looked long
and hard at,” he said. “It’s
been over a year now that
we’ve really contemplated
it, and it’s an offer that we
can’t refuse and it brings
something to Vermillion
that is sorely lacking right
now. It really is a win-win
deal for everybody, as
difficult as it is to lose the
grocery side of the
business.”
An inventory reduction
sale begins at Jones’ Food
Center on Wednesday, June
20, and is expected to last
three weeks.
“Our goal is to be done,
with the doors closed for
business on the grocery
side by July 10 at the latest,”
Starr said.
The lot that houses
Jones' Food Center has
been a place of growth for
most of the time that the
Peterses’ store has occupied
the main building in the
past 17 years. That building
houses a branch of Wells
Fargo Bank on its south
side. On its north side is
Mister Smith’s Bakery, Café
and Catering, which has
grown in popularity over
the years thanks, in part, to
the bread-baking skills of
Larry Smith.
The Peterses added a
new wing to the building in
2000 that currently houses
Jones’ Ace Hardware and
Vermillion’s municipal
liquor store, which the
couple manages.
Wells Fargo will remain
at its current location, and
Mister Smith’s also is not
going away – it will, in fact,
be renovated, and the
dining area may be even be
expanded.
“One thing that the
Targets and the Ikeas of the
world has taught us is that
you can operate a good,
high quality eatery in the
middle of a general
merchandise store,” Starr
said. “If you do it right, it
can be very successful.
We’ve done a very good job
with it, and we can do
better job with it.”
The space currently
occupied by Jones’ Ace
Hardware will be vacated
once the larger hardware
store is located in the
building space now
housing Jones’ Foods.
“Mr. Smith’s Bakery,
Café and Catering will stay
open throughout the
construction phase; Wells
Fargo will be open also,”
Starr said. “Ace Hardware
obviously will be open.”
Once the grocery
business closes next month,
the portion of the building
where it is currently housed
will be partitioned off from
the other existing
businesses in that structure.
“That will be so that we
can come in and start
tearing down walls, ripping
up the floors – we are
essentially going to gut this
building,” Starr said.
“When you step into this
thing once it reopens, you
will not have any idea that a
grocery store once
occupied the space.”
It is hoped that the new,
improved and larger Jones’
Ace Hardware will be open
by mid-September or early
October.
“It is a very aggressive
schedule,” Starr said.
“Whether or not we are
able to hit that – we’ll have
to see what contractors are
available.”
Jones’ Ace Hardware
currently operates a small
engine repair shop in a
building across the alley
from the main store. That
shop will become part of
the new hardware store.
Jones’ had also operated
a small greenhouse on the
south side of the main
building for most of the last
17 years. It has not been in
use for the last 18 months.
“We’re talking about
putting a roof on that and
using it year-round,” he
said. “Then the hardware
? JONES’, Page 15
HOUSEHOLD • ANTIQUES • COLLECTIBLES • MISC.
PUBLIC30, 2012 • 10:05 a.m.
AUCTION
Saturday, June
Clay County Fair Grounds • High Street • Vermillion S.D.
AUCTIONEER NOTE: Marilyn was an avid collector of primitives, numerous pieces of glassware, along with many very
unique items. Please note the starting time of this sale because it will be quite lengthy. Again, the location will be at the
4-H building at the fairgrounds in Vermillion.
APPLIANCES • HOUSEHOLD • MISC.
Amana washer & dryer
Frigidaire chest freezer
Sharp microwave
Oak cup & saucer racks
Collection of cups and saucers
16-place setting dishes (Butterfly Patterns)
Snack sets
Small Kitchen Appliances: toaster,
hand mixers, crockpots, coffee grinder,
food chopper, bread machine, etc.
Set of 12 dessert dishes (England)
Casserole dishes, Corning sets
Dehydrator, Pie plates
Several sets of dishes, Silverware
Kitchen Utensils, Tupperware
Microwave dishes, Many tablecloths
Bedroom Set-Full bed, dresser & night stand
Small secretary
French Provincial credenza, chest,
night stand, vanity w/tri-view mirror & bench
Glider rocker & foot stool
Several full & queen bed frames
Several chests & night stands
Metal wardrobe & shelving
Misc rockers & occasional chairs
Love Seat, Bookcase Cabinet
Several floor, table & hanging lamps
Painters easel, paints & supplies
Misc pictures & frames
Wall decorations
Sewing machine in cabinet
Bumper pool table
Many, many holiday decorations & candles
Board games, Puzzles, Books, Crafts
Ceramics
Items too numerous to mention
MISCELLANEOUS
Rubbermaid storage unit
Park bench, Skil saw-2 1/3hp
Assorted hand & electrical tools
Pet carriers
Many, many misc. items to numerous to
mention
ANTIQUES • COLLECTABLES
Upright Baby Grand Piano, Oak cigar table
Ice Box cabinets, (2) Sets of Stack Tables
Round tier table, Dining Buffet
Milk glass, Crystal & cut glass
Doctors instrument chest w/mirror- 4’x5’
Housier cabinet, High chair
6 dining chairs, Piano stool
Oak chest, Flat top trunk
(2) 3 wheel rattan & wood wheelchairs
Oak child’s school chair
Hall tree, Books, Typewriter
Cabbage slicer, Meat grinders
Cast iron pans, Picture frames
Doilies, Vintage fabric
Avon decanters & bottles (vintage cars)
Collection of angels, Wringer washer
Coal shovel, Air compressor
Misc antique tools
Much More!
Marilyn J. Siecke Estate, owner
Display Ads:
Tammi Rohde (712) 540-5251 • Mark Siecke (712) 420-9926
See Pictures on Website
Friday at 11AM
Chuck Hardie Auction Services
www.chuckhardieauctions.com
201 W. Cherry, Vermillion, SD 57069 • 605-624-4429
Chuck Hardie • Seth Steinhoff - Auctioneers
23 W. 2nd St. • Kingsley IA • Clerk: CHAS • Lunch Wagon On Site • 712-378-3232 • 712-540-9990 (cell)