Helping customers eat healthy is a constant struggle for Sunflower Food Store, but it's not the only front on which the retailer is fighting. Two years ago, a Wal-Mart Supercenter set up shop less than a mile down the road.
To compete against both challenges, co-owner Scott Miller makes customer service a priority. Employees wear a white shirt and tie, and are instructed to offer help to any customer who comes within 10 feet of them. Baggers are required to carry groceries out to customers' cars. And if checkout lines get to be longer than two people, another cashier is called to the front of the store.
“It's just a part of what we do, and the service we provide,” said Miller. “To us, this is very important.”
Sunflower hosts a number of events in its large parking lot. Every weekend there's a barbecue, offering ribs, chicken and barbecue sandwiches to whoever stops by. The store also hosts a gospel concert during the first weekend in October.
“Every year it's overflowing, completely full,” said store manager James Jeffcoat.
The retailer hopes to leverage its popularity as an event destination by incorporating more healthful foods into the menu and spreading the good word about healthful living.
