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gotta get tomatoes, you gotta get lettuce, you gotta get the basics, and then we try to nd di erent things for the neighborhood.”
Keeping Up With Trends
Gone are the days when the corner store could specialize in one category. Customers today demand a variety of o erings. As Dallas points out,“When we opened up,this business was di erent. ere were corner stores selling produce, then the business changed, and you’re getting meat and milk and bread. e trend
was going that way, and we try to keep up with the neighborhood and the times.”
Dallas also tries to keep up with emerging trends in individual produce items. What may be considered strictly an ethnic food item this year may be a hot commodity the next. Consider the avocado. “I remember when I started,” says Dallas, “the consumption of avocados was very minimal, so maybe a load of avocados sold in Chicagoland every week. Now it’s probably a hundred loads, maybe more, so we try to always introduce new things and stay with the season
and within the season. When you’re in the peak season, the food changes every 10 days.”
Word Of Mouth Advertising
Harvestime customers do much of the advertising for the store. Many are vocal in their support, and at peak times of the day the store is full of shoppers, many with rolled up yoga matts, kids in tow and folks dashing in after work looking for the ingredients for a quick dinner.
To advertise weekly deals, the store does traditional print advertising. According to Dallas,“We’ll put out an ad every couple weeks, then we have an ad on the internet and we put signs in the windows,” says Dallas. For the most part, however, Harvestime relies on the good will of their loyal customer base to help spread the word. “We based our business on customers who want to buy good merchandise and eventually they tell others. With extra advertisements, we bring a few new people in, and eventually they become customers,” he says. By o ering the best, freshest produce available, that cycle repeats itself.
Keeping Green
An improvement that has endeared the store to their more environmentally conscious customers was the installation of solar panels in 2014. As Dallas explains, “Instead of putting in a plastic awning and getting nothing back, we thought we’d do something for the envi- ronment, too.”
Solar panels save resources certainly, but they save money as well, about $5,000-$6,000 per year. at’s not a huge number in overall annual operating costs, but if it saves one month’s spending on a utility bill, it’s worth it. What’s worth more is the goodwill it earns from their customers who feel good about patronizing a business with similar values to their own. With today’s urban consumers, in Lincoln Square and across the United States, an eco-friendly, healthful and fresh focus is an important part of marketing and providing quality service.
Although the demographics of Lincoln Square continue to change, Harvestime Foods will continue to deliver what their customers need, and their commitment to o ering the best produce available has proven to be a successful business strategy. pb
FACT FILE:
Harvestime Foods
2632 W. Lawrence Ave. Chicago, IL 60625
P: (773) 989-4400
Hours: Daily - 7am – 9pm Website: harvestimefoods.com
30 / OCTOBER 2018 / PRODUCE BUSINESS