MID-COUNTY MESSENGER
Page 6
A mix of talent
Jewelry designer , grandmother , electronics professional , and community volunteer – Del Gallup has no shortage of diverse talents .
But , the one she ’ s probably best known for is being the friendly manager of Mid-County Coop ’ s Holiday Station Store in Cologne .
“ I ’ ve been manager here for 10 years ,” Del said . “ I like it . I enjoy my customers , and I enjoy my employees .”
Del didn ’ t always plan to be a convenience store manager , however .
After growing up in Sioux Falls , SD , she earned an associate ’ s degree in bio medical electronics from a technical school in Detroit Lakes .
She then got a job in her field in Minneapolis , but the long commute and time away from family eventually prompted her to make a switch .
That ’ s when she saw the opening for an assistant manager at Mid-County
Coop ’ s convenience store .
She was hired , and within six months , was promoted to manager .
Now , after a decade of service , Del said she probably
Del Gallup knows 90 percent of her customers .
“ You get to know the people who walk through that door ,” she said . “ Not just people from Cologne , but the surrounding communities , as well .”
Many regular customers remember when the store was a Cenex . Two years ago , it became a Holiday station .
“ We remodeled the whole store ,” Del said . “ It looks brighter and more open .” www . midcountycoop . com
Deb Kechely is right at home at Mid-County Coop
Deb Kechely moved to Fairfax in May , but a long commute doesn ’ t dampen her enthusiasm about working for Mid-County Coop ’ s auto truck and tire shop .
“ I would rather drive one hour to a job I love , than drive 20 minutes to a job I can ’ t stand ,” she said .
Deb has been with Mid-County since December 2010 , and enjoys taking care of customers , checking inventory , scheduling appointments , invoicing , doing purchase orders , and more .
“ I love it ,” she said . “ The people I work with are awesome .”
Deb grew up in Minnetonka , and graduated from Waconia High School in 1980 . Early on , she got married , raised three children , and did daycare from her home .
She later remarried , and she and her husband , Jamie , now have six adult children and three grandchildren .
“ We ’ re kind of like ‘ The Brady Bunch ,’” Deb said .
Before it closed , Deb worked at
N o r d i cTr a c k in Glencoe for five years . Her first position involved drilling skis , and she was quickly promoted to lead . Then , she was promoted again , to planning and
Jamie and Deb expediting . When the plant closed , Deb took a temporary position at LeSueur Incorporated that involved buying , ordering , and taking inventory .
At one point , she also earned her cosmetology license and became a certified nursing assistant .
“ I ’ ve done quite a few different things ,” she said .
About eight years of Deb ’ s corporate experience came through Holiday convenience store management .
“ That ’ s how I got to know Mid- County ,” she said . “ I knew Bill [ Reimers ], and Del [ Gallup ] and I had worked together .”
Working at Mid-County offers “ the best of both worlds ,” according to Deb .
“ It works out nicely ,” she said . “ I have experience managing Holiday stores , so I can back them up when needed .”
Deb works 10-hour days Mondays , Wednesdays , and Fridays . For her , the time is short , especially compared to the 12- to 14-hour days she ’ d spend when she was a Holiday store manager .
“ This is nothing ,” she said cheerfully .
In her free time , Deb enjoys babysitting her 8-year-old granddaughter who lives across the street , and going fishing with her husband , who is also her best friend .
“ He ’ s my fish bud ,” she said . “ We go all the time . We love to be outdoors .”
As part of the Holiday chain , the store stocks new and popular products , and is also technology-conscious .
“ There ’ s always something new happening , and we ’ re always looking to improve ,” Del said .
Del , a resident of Hamburg , also seeks continual improvement in her personal life . She ’ s a member of the Cologne Lions Club , enjoys making jewelry , has four adult children , and four grandchildren ( ranging in age from 6 months to 12 years ).
One of her four grandchildren recently passed away , but Del said he is still part of her heart . She is grateful to live in a place where people care for one another in times of hardship , and said that the community has been overwhelmingly supportive .
“ I love the area ,” she said . “ I ’ ll never leave here .”