75 Years of Graves’ Shop ‘n Save
A Focus on Business
The Graves family has been a prominent central
Aroostook grocer for 75 years. The business dates back
to 1935 when Bill Graves and his sons Vincent, Donald,
Phillip and Robert opened a grocery store in Mars Hill.
In 1945 the Graves became a trusted partner with
Hannaford Brothers. This relationship has grown over the
years, and today they have become Hannaford’s longest
running wholesale customer.
In the mid 50’s they expanded to Caribou with a
store on Sweden Street. In 1959 they moved into a new
store on State Street in Presque Isle. This new store was the
first in the area to offer fresh-baked bread and home-style
baked beans.
In the late 60’s Hannaford Brothers approached Bob
Graves Sr. about moving to a new location on north Main
Street next to Mammoth Mart. In 1970 they moved to
this new 18,000 sq ft location and closed their State Street
store. With the increased space came new trends in the
grocery business, a deli department and an in-store bakery
were added.
Other changes that occurred in the 70’s include the
closure of their Caribou store and the buyout of brothers
Vincent and Donald by Bob Graves Sr.
In 1985 they acquired Sampson’s Supermarket
on south Main Street, and in 1987 the north Main Street
location was expanded to 24,000 sq ft. Both stores were
run simultaneously.
78 Focus on Business SUMMER 2011
In 1991 a second expansion was made to the north
Main Street store to its present size of 39,000 sq ft. With
that expansion it became more economical and efficient to
run one large store than two smaller stores, and the decision
was made to close their south Main Street store.
In 2002 the Graves did a complete facelift to their
remaining north Main Street store, which was by far their
most extensive remodel ever. All new floors, new ceiling,
new lighting were installed, 75% of their equipment was
replaced, and a complete new décor was given to the store.
At the same time several new departments were added: a
pharmacy, a butcher shop, a fresh seafood dept. and a health
food section called Nature’s Place.
There are several reasons that the Graves attribute to
their success. Foremost is the loyalty and trust their customers
have shown over the years. The Graves family emphasizes
the importance of customer service. It’s a part of every
employee’s training. Poor customer service is simply not
tolerated, as it is the one thing that people remember. The
quality and caliber of their employees have also contributed
to their success. On average, Graves employs between 75
and 85 employees. Some of these employees have been with
them for 20 plus years.
Customer Source surveys say that customers
continue to shop Graves because of their superior
perishables, cleanliness, customer service and a variety of
good quality products at competitive prices.