A small store with a big heart

GREENSBORO BEND – More than a general store, more than a convenience store, Smith’s Grocery has long served as a community cornerstone for people in and around Greensboro Bend. 

Some local residents begin their day by stopping at Smiths for a cup of coffee or to fill up their tanks. Some take lunch there, or call in with a weekly pizza or sandwich order. Others just come in for a chat with other customers, or with owners Jen and Landon Thompson. 

The couple assumed ownership of Smith’s Grocery from Landon’s parents on May 1, 2019. They continue to provide the store’s regular services, gas, groceries and deli food, as well as serving as a weigh-station during hunting season. 

Perhaps most importantly, Smith’s Grocery remains deeply involved in the community. Recently, the store was opened after-hours for a nearby fire call, providing pizza, coffee and sandwiches to the responding departments. 

Earlier this year, the store announced they had cooler space to stock free, locally-grown produce from the Greensboro Community Garden. 

In September, sixteen German shepherds were surrendered to the town, and the store partnered with area animal rescuers Keven and Riley Rich to organize donations of dog food and other necessary supplies. 

Speaking with the couple, they discussed how and why they continue to make it all happen. 

“We’re definitely doing more. My parents did some stuff, but definitely since Jen came along we do a lot more,” said Landon. 

“The generations change, too, and there’s a lot more kids that live on the street, and it’s a busier community than what it used to be. With the rail trail and some of the other local businesses, I think it brings more people, families,” added Jen. 

Twelve different fire departments responded to the recent call in nearby Stannard. With low temperatures and some difficulties fighting the flames, it was hard work for the firefighters, and Smith’s once again provided nourishment.

The Thompsons provided some insight behind their continued support of first responders; “When the big fire down in the Bend started, we got to know the family, and then from there on out, it sort of just came to us and who we are as people, and the staff that were working for us, and the community around us, that kind of helped drive us to want to do more for everybody,” said Jen. 

This mindset is applied regardless of the situation. From dog food donations to free produce and promoting fundraisers to help fire victims, Smith’s Grocery stays involved. 

“I think the driving force is just us as people. Every day, there’s people that walk in the store that help us in other ways other than just keeping our business going. They support us in conversations, and with our family. I feel like that’s sort of our way of doing that,” said Jen. 

“Running and owning a store in today’s world, you’re not a millionaire, you don’t have all this money to just give out everywhere. So a lot of it too comes from our community and our staff that also, behind the scenes, do a lot and help a lot. . . But it’s a whole big kind of circle of people that get to where we are. We might be at the forefront, but there’s so many other people behind it that help get to where we are.” 

With their range of services, Smith’s Grocery offers a little something for everybody. While the Thompsons say household grocery shopping has definitely decreased thanks to national competitors like Walmart and with inflation on the rise, their deli foods and range of other services have achieved a balance that provides something for everyone. 

“We had a lady that came the other day that drove all the way here from Woodbury. She came up because she had seen stuff about the fire and what we did, but also looking for local honey because she knew we had local honey,” said Landon. 

Their customer service is also a drawing factor, as the staff at Smith’s truly go above and beyond. “We have people like Nan, who sits here and has lunch with us every single day, and this is her home. We try to take care of her. We have customers that come in the morning and sit here having coffee, we help them load things in their truck, we deliver groceries to people’s houses. You get used to certain customers walking in, and when they don’t show up on a certain day, you call their house, you check on them. Some people have routines, and you’re part of their routine everyday,” said Jen. 

“I think that the other day somebody referred to the store as ‘kind of a big living room for everyone to hang out at’, and I feel like that’s sort of who we are.”

Beyond taking care of their customers, Smith’s Grocery also does its best to take care of the surrounding community. Their charitable activities include, but are not limited to, a Hardwick Area Food Pantry shelf; Christmas food pantry drives; breast cancer fundraisers; the aforementioned dog food drive and cooler space for the Greensboro Community Garden; and lots more. 

“We try to find, and social media helps, other businesses or families that are in need of things. I feel that sort of drives some things, because otherwise unless someone said something, we wouldn’t know,” said Jen.  

The Thompsons strive to partner with people in the community with their own local businesses. “We have a local person that does our Christmas trees and our wreaths, and we don’t do that just because we want the business. We wanted to help them kind of showcase. The Lamoille Area Cancer Network does huge bottle drives, so we try to get bottles for them. Weighing in deer, that’s a huge thing for us. We get maybe 75 cents or a dollar for every deer, but that’s not why we do it. We enjoy seeing it, hearing stories, it’s like another family,” said Jen.  

She says that being a smaller store means different relationships with different groups, and that means getting accustomed to what they need throughout the year. 

“The school up the street, they do pizza parties at their meetings, so they’ll order pizzas with us. You help each other, because it takes a community to help your business run, even though there’s a million things behind the scenes that make a business run, it’s those little relationships you have that keep it going.” 

In spite of its small size, Smith’s Grocery maintains an impressive level of customer engagement, using social media as well as community events to form long-lasting relationships with customers and vendors alike. 

“I think it’s just, like, it’s just who we are. I don’t want to give myself a big star or brag about us, but I think we’re genuine people that genuinely care about who comes into our store. So it doesn’t matter who you are, we’re gonna respect you, until you don’t respect us. But in the meantime, you gotta have fun in what you do,” Jen said.  

She continued, “I find that, somebody might be having a bad day and then you can make their day better. And so why would you not want to try to do that?” 

Owning and running a store is no small feat, as the Thompsons know, but there are many highlights along the way. Both halves of the couple have a favorite aspect of running the store. Jen is especially fond of the seasonal community activities, “Those have been some of our most memorable fun times. I think it’s just anytime we can bring the community together we enjoy it.” 

Landon felt similarly, “It’s the people, most definitely. I grew up in the store, so a lot of these people have known me since I was really little, or I’ve known them the whole time I’ve grown up. Or even now, people that I have seen grow up and turn into adults, I think that’s what I enjoy the most, it’s just the people and the family atmosphere.” 

Affirming Jen’s earlier description of the store, he said, “a big living room for everyone to hang out at”, Landon recalled a recent incident with a customer. “The other day I was outside weighing in a deer, and a customer was in here that I’ve known forever. When the phone rang they answered it, like they were answering the phone at their house. So, I think that’s probably my biggest takeaway from here. People.”