By Kunal Dawar
It’s a great thing when you can help people understand a little more about what we do.
That’s the idea behind the congressional store tours that NGA helps set up for independent grocers. At Walt Churchill’s Market, we invited U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur (D-OH-9) to visit one of our stores, to show her the impact we have on the community and explain how what she and her colleagues in Congress do affects how our business is able to serve the folks at home.
It wasn’t an entirely new experience for Congresswoman Kaptur – her family once operated a small grocery store in Toledo.
But we were able to explain how policies like antitrust enforcement, credit card fee reform and SNAP impact our ability to give consumers a better choice when they shop for groceries.
Rep. Kaptur was excited to meet Walt and our team, and was enthusiastic about our transition to an employee-owned company. During her visit, she engaged with many of our staff and customers, taking the time to connect with everyone.
We gave her a tour of the store, highlighting our progress and the challenges we face. Rep. Kaptur was genuinely interested in our daily operations and listened attentively as we discussed issues such as hiring difficulties, product sourcing, and rising credit card and DIR fees. Sharing these detailed challenges with her provided a clearer picture of their impact on our business.
NGA excels at advocating for independent retailers every day. However, the impact is even greater when you, as a retailer, meet with our elected officials in person and share your business story directly. While our elected officials do receive information about our challenges from NGA and other associations, they may not fully understand the situation.
In my view, a store tour serves as a crucial link that connects NGA’s efforts in Washington with the elected officials who can make a real difference in our community.
So, share your story! Let them see your business in person and explain how Washington policies both positively and negatively impact your business and the community.
Hosting a store tour is easy – just fill out this form and the NGA staff will take care of the rest.
Kunal Dawar is president and CEO of Walt Churchill’s Market in Maumee, Ohio.
