The year 2012 marks the 50th anniversary of the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers (CFIG).
That is about how long Merlen Kropf has been an independent grocer. Those two celebrations came together recently.
As part of the celebrations, CFIG president John Scott recognized Merlen Kropf of L&M Markets in Elora as a true Canadian grocery entrepreneur and presented him with a copy of the CFIG’s 50th anniversary book, in which L&M Markets is featured.
“If you build it big enough, people will stay in town to shop.” That has been the philosophy of Kropf, who parlayed a former Steinberg’s store he purchased for just $15,000 into a thriving chain of supermarkets in southwestern Ontario, including stores in Drayton and Arthur. He also operated a grocery store for many years in Fergus.
Some of the stores he has built are as big as 18,000 square feet, compared with the 3,000-square-foot stores that were the largest of their kind at the time.
“I’d buy a whole town block and tear it down and make it big enough, with lots of parking” said Kropf, who owns the real estate for all his stores.
After buying, selling and building several stores, Kropf’s current count is at seven. He has turned over five of those stores to his son Dale, while his daughter Debra Ramage is operating his latest purchase in Drayton.
Kropf still owns the Dundalk store, under the Foodland banner.
His wife Doreen, who is secretary-treasurer of the company, works in the head office in Elora.
