Both of Munising’s grocery stores — Bob’s IGA in Downtown Munising and Family Fare on the Eastern side of M-28 — have sold to Houghton-based grocery store Pat’s Foods. Terms of the sales were not released, but none of the roughly 45 employees at the grocery stores will be laid off as a result of the sale.
“We’re super excited,” said Ben Campioni, co-owner of Pat’s Foods. “We’re planning a bunch of improvements in the next year and serving the Munising community.”
The dual purchase means that the Bob’s IGA location will be closed with both stores consolidating into the Family Fare location.
Pat’s Foods is owned and operated by brothers Joe and Ben Campioni, fourth-generational grocers from the Copper Country. The company owns 10 other stores reaching as far as Gladstone and Sault Ste. Marie and does carry a number of locally-made products.
SpartanNash, the owners of the Munising Family Fare location, said that the sale will change their company’s approach from grocer to supplier.
“After careful consideration, we reached an agreement to sell our Munising store business to one of our independent customers. We are working closely with the buyer on the transition, which includes retaining the associates and providing store guests with exceptional service. SpartanNash will continue to deliver ingredients for a better life by distributing products to the Munising community and our valued customer,” said Bruce Emery, SpartanNash Vice President of Retail Operations, Corporate Retail said in an email statement.
According to Campioni, the new Pat’s Foods is to celebrate the strengths of both stores in one new package. One of the ways they hope to accomplish this is which suppliers the store uses for ordering. SpartanNash will continue to be one of the suppliers for the store, but the meat and produce suppliers for Bob’s will be used.
“Bob really hung his hat on the quality of the produce and meat department, and that’s something we want to hang our hat on too,” Campioni said.
Having two grocery stores in a town is considered a major economic indicator by federal governments and international watchdog groups. Without direct competition, members of the public expressed on social media their concerns about grocery monopolies similar to Manistique where there is only one major grocery store.
The Campionis have a big supporter in Bob St Amour, owner of Bob’s IGA. St. Amour used to attend food shows with Joe and Ben’s father and said that the family knows how to respect the community while running a grocery store.
“About 20 years ago, I saw what (the Campionis) were doing and thought to myself ‘if I ever sell the store, they’re the kind of people I want to sell it to’,” St Amour said. “I didn’t think we would be sitting here now and have that actually happen.”
Starting out as a Red Owl grocery store in the 1960s, St Amour said that there has been a grocery store at the corner of Superior and Lynn for over sixty years. But that store will close to the public for the final time on May 17. St Amour plans on keeping the store stocked until the final day, as the inventory can shift to the other location after closing.
The building itself isn’t the only community staple changing with the sale. St Amour has worked for 48 years, many of which he spent as the owner and head grocer. He hit 70 last summer and said that he is ready to enjoy the retirement he deserves.
But St Amour said that he will be joining the employees at the M-28 location to help with both the transition and the increased summer tourism season.
“We don’t have to say goodbye, because we’re all going to be there,” he said.
