George's Market

Danny & Charmaine Thompson

Danny & Charmaine Thompson

What began as a small general store on Balsam Street more than half-a-century ago is now a bustling specialty business with everything from fresh meat to flowers.

And it’s still in the family. Danny Thompson’s parents, George and Dolores, started Midway Grocery in 1961. Danny and his future wife, Charmaine, met in high school and worked there as teenagers.

Midway had a small meat counter, produce and small dis-plays of bedding plants – a vari-ety that served as the template for what was to come.

Danny and Charmaine moved on to other jobs, but their expe-rience at Midway and the family connection drew them back when it was time for George and Dolores to retire.

Danny and Charmaine have operated George’s Market and Celebrations by George’s for 25 years, turning it into one of Thunder Bay’s most popular spots for fresh meat and deli, prepared foods, produce, desserts, bakery, gourmet bas-kets, flowers and arrangements, and giftware.

Like her parents, daughter Graysen did not see a future for herself in the business. She worked in other fields but gravi-tated back to George’s. She now serves as apprentice and third generation owner-in-waiting.

“We are willing to try things for our customers to make their shopping experience unique,” says Graysen. “We are always looking for new items and ideas.”

The meat counter uses only AAA beef and other highly graded meats. In the deli, George’s offers its own roast beef that is cut, spiced and cooked in-house without the use of nitrates.

“We also carry a private-label line of all our own products,” adds Graysen, and a prepared food section using homemade recipes, products from the store and local products. For example, customers can buy George’s own meat sauce to top Big Lake Pasta. “We support as many local businesses as we can.”

There are prepared meals that customers can cook at home. Examples include apple and sage-stuffed pork tenderloin, boneless pork chops stuffed with mild Italian sausage spread with George’s own house-made porketta rub, Swiss cheese and asparagus-stuffed pork roast and Dijon mustard, and a large variety of in-store-made burgers.

“We are constantly looking for ways to contin-ue being different from the next store,” says Graysen, “We want the customer experience here to be different.”

Over at the Celebrations counter, orders are custom-designed, including gift baskets, floral products, catering and more.

“We believe that every order should be differ-ent from the next,” Graysen explains.

George’s main staff of some three dozen —more during greenhouse and Christmas tree seasons — includes four butchers (one being Charmaine’s 80-year-old father, Wally), and a trained florist.

Continued growth through tenacity and experimentation keeps the Thompson family motivated. In their travels they are apt to strike up conversations with store owners to get ideas. One such visit resulted in new coolers at George’s.

A constant surprise is how quickly trends can change.

“Trends are everything,” says Graysen, “and being able to catch them in time is big. Some trends work, and some don't, but that’s what makes it fun.”

After 58 years in the same location, it would seem that the Thompsons know which ones to pick.