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I purchased the store in 1987 from friends of
mine. I was running a daycare from my home and working part-time as a
nurse. One of my parents had purchased Smiley's and was in need of an
honest cashier. They didn't have any time off together and the clerks they
had were not very honest. I was getting tired of nursing because I went to
school to take care of patients, not do paperwork and hand out medication all
day. I offered my services even though the pay was really really bad.
I fell in love with the job! I had such a good time meeting people and
talking with them. I even ran the store for them one weekend so they could
get away. It then came up in conversation that they were selling. I
jumped at the chance to own Smiley's! After putting everything we owned on
the line I was the proud owner of Smiley's. The one thing that no one
knows is, I really have never liked the name Smiley's! If I had thought
about it then I would've changed the name but now it's too late.
At this time the store was really small. We
had the middle unit only. Where the soda coolers are now was a karate
school and where the deli is now was Dover House of Pizza. Where the
Tattoo
shop is now was a consignment shop and a taxi company. In September of
1987 the consignment shop and taxi company burned down. Dover House of
Pizza never re-opened even though they only had smoke damage. For years
when the wind blew you could still smell the smoke and black soot would fall
from the ceiling.
I grew the store fast. We started
discounting all of our beverages and soon the place was booming. Heck I
remember 30 cartons of cigarettes were a-lot for me at that time. I worked
7 days a week and only had from 5pm-9pm off most nights to spend time with my
kids. That is probably the only thing I regret besides allowing my ex to
come work with me.
Meanwhile the Deli went through a couple of
owners. The first one was called Scaretti Pizza. Man what a joke that
was! They were open whenever they wanted to be. It would be nothing
for them to close at 2pm because it was too hot. Needless to say they
didn't stay there long. The next people that came in re-opened it as Dover
House of Pizza. What a bunch that was! They didn't shower, they
changed the babies diaper on the prep table, they had some really dirty people
working for them. When the owner decided that he wanted to make a
"doughnut" shop it was the end for them. I remember closing the store and
helping the owner make the doughnuts. Let me tell you, I wouldn't have
eaten one of those doughnuts if it was the last morsel of food on the planet!
When that didn't work out and the landlord locked the doors on him I decided
that maybe I could do something with the place. That was how the deli came
about.
CHANGES:
When I first purchased the store we had the same
beer coolers then as we do today only we couldn't fill them! One of the
doors was stocked with wine just so there was not an empty place. 30 packs
were not heard of but suitcases were a big thing. Sam Adams had yet to
come into the state and "micro" beer was not even a saying then. I have
watched so many beers come and go through the years. For awhile there all
of the new beers coming out were named after some type of animal. Names
escape me but I remember when red-dog first came out. In fact I have a huge
ugly picture on my office window to remind me daily.
I remember when Shipyard and Pete's were the
cream of the crop. Sam Adams came out with Oregon Beer which was the same
beer as Sam's but a-lot cheaper. Oh we had the Guinness, Harp, Dos Equis,
Becks and others. Those were GREAT brews! I also remember Bayside
had a small tiny wooden building on the outskirts of Newmarket and they probably
had 10 beers in their portfolio. Their deal was buy 10 cases mix and match
and get $1.00 off. I remember Silver Brothers and the owner of Burger King
when they went belly up. We were without Miller products for months
because of him. I consider us lucky because some people were without
paychecks for months! Bayside purchased the distributing rights to Miller
and they grew. Then Port City Beverages sold and Bayside purchased the
rights to Coors products. Now Bayside resides in a huge building in Epping
NH. NH Distributors has not changed. Still heavy with President's,
they have a VP for everything and supervisors. Maybe that's why I can't
get a "cooler" filler here at Smileys' :).
The Beer industry has changed a-lot over the
years. All of the "micro" beer companies such as Smuttynose, Sam Adams and
Harpoon to name a few are now catering to the "chain" stores. When they
first came into the market the "chain" stores would NOT touch them! They
would not give them the time of day. Smiley's and other "beer" and small
stores took in their products. As they became "bigger" the "chain" stores
then wanted a part of it. One of the BIG reasons the 12 pack package was
made was for the "chain" stores. Why? They wanted and needed a
"bigger" ring at the register! It is along the same line as the Small,
Med, Large and Super Size! The consumer gets "screwed" in the end!
Oh and let's talk about "cooler fillers!".
All of the Chains have "cooler fillers" that go in there daily and stocks their
floor and coolers. They even have one on the weekends! I just don't
understand it. You see, if they don't have a cooler filler go into the
chain stores, the chain stores threaten them with the removal of their product!
I tried that once with New Hampshire Distributors (bud) and they laughed at me!
Bayside does have someone come in here 3-4 times a week to fill my floor, the
coolers and the front display area. At least they are trying! In the
summertime, I have to hire someone full-time to stock my coolers, the floor and
the big bottles. Hmm I wonder HOW much they really make off the "chain"
stores once everything is said and done. I bet not much!
I saw on Twitter the other night from a
Smuttynose Rep "Big A now available in 4 packs, Ask your GROCERY store to stock
them"! Then right after that I saw "Smuttynose Winterale " $9.99 a 12
pack! $9.99 a 12 pack??? How can that be when I pay $22.50 a case?
In New Hampshire you MUST offer the sale price to EVERYONE? I have no
problem with Market Basket having a loss leader (yeah right) but for a company
who rose up from nothing because of the "private" stores to forget their roots
just burns my ass! What I really would like to do is throw them out!
They are helping to "stomp" the independents out of the market. I hope
what they say about karma is true....
You can read a-lot more of my "rant" or better
known as "crazy old lady" on my blog
http://smileysdover.com/blog/. You can also comment on anything that I
write!
Fun and Games:
I have often said that I was going to write a
book someday on the things that I have seen over the past 22 years. I have
seen a-lot, heard a-lot and learned so much more!
*more to come.....
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