By Mike Harris
Special to the Alpine Mountaineer
It may be hard for some mountain residents to believe, but it’s been just over a year since Goodwin’s Market reopened its doors, after having been closed for more than 14 months to rebuild, following the roof collapse that destroyed the old store.
“We put a lot of thought into this and our market is designed for the next generation,” Mike Johnstone, VP and general manager, told the Alpine Mountaineer in early May 2024. “This is a new store designed for the next 50 years.”
Now, one year later, Johnstone said the year has gone by very quickly.
“It really was a case of hurry up and open,” he remembered. “We had a lot of challenges along the way, but we worked through them. Things are now moving in a positive way for us, but we still have a long way to go.”
Johnstone said that, after the store closed, Goodwin’s worked with its insurance company and the store was able to keep most of the staff on payroll. That was a period of 14 months.
“We had about 95 employees when the store closed and we kept all of them,” he said.
Now, the store has about 120 employees.
When Goodwin’s reopened a year ago, the Goodwin family decided to add new features, such as a pizza oven and an expanded sandwich section. The produce section also grew, as did the baked goods area.
New, taller shelving was added in the store so more food items could be displayed. Seating was removed from the deli area, and a new indoor/outdoor seating area was incorporated into the new building. Grocery carts are now stored under the dining area.
“We also set up a better buying system so we could get more efficient,” Johnstone said. “That allows us to give greater value to our customers.”
What’s in store for year two?
“Year two will be a year of growth for us,” Johnstone said.
For example, there is new online deli and coffee/juice bar ordering.
“We are now offering online ordering with in-store pickup,” Johnstone said. “Customers can order ahead and have it ready in as little as 15 minutes. The service is available daily from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.”
Goodwin’s has also added a customer loyalty program which offers money-saving coupons, and turns purchases into points; when the points reach 100, that equals one dollar that can be applied to purchases.
“We have about 4,000 customers now using the loyalty program,” he added.
Johnstone said he and the Goodwin family are very grateful to the employees, many of whom waited to return back to Goodwin’s Market.
To show the family’s appreciation for their hard work in the first year of reopening, on May 7 lunch was provided for all, with Mike Johnstone and assistant produce manager Jeremy Cote grilling hamburgers and hot dogs, with all the fixings, in the parking lot on the side of the store. Soft drinks, cold bottled water and a large slow cooker filled with the family’s baked bean recipe also was offered up.
“We are so thankful for our wonderful employees,” he said. “And also, to the county for standing by us and our staff. We’re ready for year two.”
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