Michigan Drivers… Save
Michigan Drivers… Save up to 43% on your car Sue Abro What an incredible opportunity for Michigan residents. Farm Bureau Insurance offers discounts that could trim your car insurance up to 43%. See how many discounts you qualify for. Call today. 318 East Street Rochester 248-656-3388 www.farmbureauinsurance-mi.com Michigan’s Insurance Company Making Your Future More Predictable FARM BUREAU MUTUAL • FARM BUREAU LIFE • FARM BUREAU GENERAL 24 CHALDEAN NEWS OCTOBER 2007
new things in store Chaldeans transform Farmer Jacks BY JOYCE WISWELL The last thing the new Chaldean owners of former Farmer Jack stores want is for shoppers to think that nothing has changed. The much-maligned supermarket chain has sold off all its Metro Detroit stores and is no longer doing business in the area. “Farmer Jack offered to sell us their inventory for pennies on the dollar but we said we want nothing from them,” said Mark Kassa, one of five partners who purchased Farmer Jacks in Farmington Hills and Westland. “When a customer walks in you get that one chance to make the right impression; you don’t want them to think this is Farmer Jack reinvented.” Kassa and his partners closed both the stores they bought and shoppers saw major changes when they reopened as Heartland Market Place. The Farmington Hills store, located at 12 Mile and Farmington, is 55,000 square feet, by far the largest shop owned by Kassa and his partners since his grandfather, David Kassa, started the family business in the 1930s. “I’m excited for a new challenge,” Kassa said. “We’ve been doing the same thing for a long time and it felt like we needed something to freshen us up business-wise.” Still, such a large store brings many challenges. “It is definitely intimidating. It’s so big you feel like you need Heelys to get around,” Kassa said in reference to the popular children’s wheeled shoes. The store was closed for three months as it underwent a complete redo and the addition of a salad bar, reading station and possibly a pharmacy, coffeehouse or cyber café. Kassa plans to offer special events such as cooking classes and chili cookoffs to add a sense of excitement. “You name it, we’re going to have it,” said his cousin, Phil Kassa. “It’s a big step but the volume we’ll generate is close to what we’re already doing at our other stores.” At 45,000 square feet, the Westland shop at Ford and Wildwood is a more traditional size and, Kassa said, has “more of a meat and potatoes clientele.” It too is undergoing renovations. After soft openings PHOTO BY NORA BAHROU DOWNS Store Manager Mike Morogi, Mark Kassa and Sam Baillo check out an order at their new store in Farmington Hills. in late September, Heartland plans for large grand openings for both stores some time in November. When Eddie Aboona purchased the Farmer Jack at Telegraph and Wick in Taylor, he closed it on July 3 and reopened just two weeks later. “We worked around the clock seven days a week to get it up and running,” he said. “We painted the whole store inside and out, redid the deli, produce and dairy cases, and redid all the checkout lanes,” he said. Now known as Seaway Marketplace, the store totals 60,000 square feet. “We enjoy that size,” Aboona said. “With a bigger box you can do more.” Aboona said so far the new store is doing well. “We’re getting a lot of positive remarks,” he said. “We kept a lot of the managers and department heads but we have all new people at the front end. They have a better attitude – the old ones were burnt out from the whole deal of Farmer Jack.” Another former Farmer Jack, this one at Seven Mile and Livernois in Detroit, was snatched up by Mike and Lyon Koza. It is also being completely renovated and is expected to open this month as Mike’s Fresh Market. “This is going to be like a store in the suburbs, not like in Detroit. Everything is brand new,” said Lyon Koza. “We have nothing from Farmer Jack – we threw everything out.” OCTOBER 2007 CHALDEAN NEWS 25
