It’s always been about the people.
“It sounds silly but we never had a passion for selling groceries,” says Randy Robinson. “We were in the grocery business but we had a passion for people. We were able to give back to the community and engage with the great people. That was meaningful to us and made coming to work rewarding. It wasn’t, ‘gee, we sold you a can of peas, that was exciting,’ it was that we got to take care of customers every week and do things in the community. Our goal was to exceed their expectations, and we don’t do that every day but we tried our best.”
For many in the community, it was an effort that was appreciated and is being expressed as customers stop in to say thanks in the final days before Randy and his wife Tracy retire from the helm of Robinson’s Your Independent Grocer.
“It started off as Randy’s dream that he wanted to be a retailer and own a grocery store and I had always worked in grocery myself,” says Tracy. They were in Kitchener, recently married, and looking for a store to call their own. Tracy gave Randy a two-hour radius within which she was willing to move.
“This ended up being farther,” she laughs. “We looked here and fell in love with it. It was a great place to raise a family.” Tracy was pregnant with their youngest child at the time, who is now 23. “We never looked back. A lot of people ask if we are going to go back to Kitchener, but this is home now.”
They’ve been big supporters of community organizations and fundraisers in their adopted home over the years.
“I’m going miss the ability to meet the community’s needs, not to say we won’t get involved in community in the future but we’re going to take a year and not do anything,” says Randy. “We’ve been able to do things for the community because we had this vehicle to do it.”
And they’ll miss the people. “The last two weeks have been sad. After 21 years, customers know you and they’ll come in and give me a hug. And the staff, I loved being involved and knowing who they were,” says Randy, noting that they had about 80 people on staff when they started and now have 150.
“It was about bringing those people into our family and saying we are all in this together. Let’s be the best at being good people. Anyone can come and build a nicer display or put up a new store, but we wanted to create the best experience. That was the highlight of our entire career and that’s what made us love what we did for the last 21 years.”
Randy and Tracy have enjoyed watching their staff learn and grow, some moving on to bigger and better things. “It’s neat to see that we were part of them growing and succeeding.”
The Robinsons’ kids – who are 25 and 23 now, living in Vancouver and Boston – will miss it, too. “It’s funny how much they took in and how much this place shaped who they are now,” says Tracy.
“They both asked to come back last weekend to say goodbye to the store,” adds Randy. “That’s kind of cool – it did mean something to them.”
But Randy acknowledges that owning a retail business isn’t always family friendly. “It’s a great gig but you’re working Christmas Eve, you’re working summer weekends. The idea of coming in here next summer and shopping on the July 1 weekend and then just leaving, it’s a really neat thought.”
The couple is looking forward to enjoying life and doing some of the things they haven’t been able to do – visiting family, going to social events, or just hanging out with friends, says Tracy. They also have a place in Arizona where they intend to spend much of each winter; in the summer, Randy will get to do the puttering around home that he hasn’t been able to do, and perhaps become a better golfer.
“Everyone says you’ll know when it’s time,” says Randy. “We’ve been going hard at this for 21 years and I’ve been going hard at this career for longer than that. I don’t want to not be passionate about it anymore. I can look at it and say we’ve given it our all and it’s time to move on. Because we could, it was just time. It’s time to enjoy life.”
They’ll lock the doors for the last time on September 9 and turn over the keys to new owners Darcy Bullock and his fiancée Alycia. In the next few months, the sign above the store will change from Robinson’s to Bullock’s.
“They are a wonderful young couple,” says Randy. “They are postponing their marriage because they are going to be getting the store up and running. They are excited and we are excited to pass the torch.”
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Dianne Adams says
I never met your wife, Randy, but it was a real pleasure to have known and interacted with you over the years. Your kindness and generosity to all is very well known in this community and will never be forgotten.
Enjoy your time to the fullest now and make different, wonderful new memories. You will be missed, but I am sure the new owners will carry the ball admirably.
We all wish you and your family the very best that life has to offer and hope to run into you next July 1st weekend!
Brian Thompson says
Have a happy and healthy retirement Randy and Tracy and thanks for all you’ve done for our town.
Mary Spring says
Congratulations Randy and Tracy. Enjoy retirement!
DeVonna Taylor says
Brent and I are happy, happy, happy for you! May God bless you in you new life adventure!
DeVonna & Brent
Heather Rundle says
Congratulations Randy and Tracy, Enjoy Retirement!
Jonathan Wiebe says
Thanks to you both for you generosity in the community! Best of luck to Darcy and Alicia!
Debbie Pringle says
It’s nice to see you are retiring. Now you can do more things and enjoy some relaxing time together. Very happy for both of you and God bless both of you to a new beginning of a new chapter in you lives. Congratulations to both of you.
Kerri Vallentin- Huntsville Skating Club and Huntsville Girls Hockey says
Thank you for your commitment to the Huntsville community and all the support you have given to many local programs/ clubs through the years. Wishing you both all the best in your retirement endeavours.
Bryan Holford says
Wishing you both a very long and enjoyable retirement. I’m always open to taking care of your Arizona home if the need ever arises,hahaha as my dad used to say ” see you in the funny pages.
Bryan and Cyndie and Riley Holford
Deb Loewen says
You’ve both worked hard and accomplished much! Congratulations! I’ll be thinking about you tomorrow when you rise early and stay late to complete the transaction. Love you both,
Deb
Debbie Austin Dyck says
Happy Retirement to you both.
Marta Long says
Tracy & Randy,
Thank you for bringing your dream to Huntsville and for leaving your lasting mark on our community.
On behalf of all of the players, parents, coaches and managers of Huntsville Minor Hockey, thank you for providing opportunities that allowed these kids to go places and do things that they otherwise could not have accomplished.
Over the last decade, Robinson’s has made generous donations, hosted countless BBQ’s, bake sales, grocery bagging days and even pizza parties to celebrate the seasons. You guys didn’t just sell groceries, you provided a place of learning and hope for many young athletes and for those who mentored them.
Thank and you are just two small words, but put them together and they become sincere gratitude from so many of us.
Congratulations on a well deserved run and enjoy your upcoming time with a smile knowing that you made a difference.
Respectfully,
Marta Long
Bill Nickerson says
My wife and I were looking to move to the Muskoka/Parry Sound region almost 20 years ago, and it was sitting in the Robinson’s Independent parking lot that we realized we loved Huntsville and that it would be our new home.
We’ve always enjoyed shopping there, and the new store is such a welcoming place. The Robinsons have done a wonderful job and I wish them all the best in their new endeavors!
Connie Dobson says
Happy Retirement Randy & Tracy! Two amazing people who contributed so much to our community.
Enjoy,
Connie, Al, Jordan and Summer-Rae
Carla Chapman says
Thank you for always making me feel like a valued customer. You are good roll models and always made good things happen.
Debi Davis says
Congratulations Randy and Tracy. Thank you for helping to make Huntsville a better place. In particular for all you have done for our hospital. Welcome to retirement.
Chris Mathews says
Thank. You both for making shopping a pleasure. You will be missed. Thank you also for all your contributions to fundraising for the Canadian Cancer Society.
May I also take a moment to thank Maggie for everything she has done in the store and for the community. We will miss you Maggie but wish you and your husband all the best in the future.
Rose Evans says
Thank you for being the people that make this community so great. Congratulations on your retirement and can’t wait to see what the next chapter brings.
Leslie Tempest says
Well I’ll be…I had no idea!! So sorry to have not been able to send you off in person 🙁 none the less, congratulations on this big next step. May retirement treat you very well! Thank you also for the many things you have done in and for our community including supporting other small businesses in their efforts to grow, develop and provide great experiences! All the best to you-always!
Nicole Mulder says
Enjoy your retirement I have always loved coming to this store when visiting my auntie Diane , the bread section alone! Don’t even get me started 🙂 great store good know was run by people who care about people !
Bryan Boothby says
Congratulations Randy & Tracy. Enjoy your retirement. It has been a pleasure shopping at The Independent Store. Take care.