Small businesses are the heartbeat of rural communities, helping them thrive by providing goods, services, and jobs. One of these heart-and-soul businesses in Grafton, Ohio, is the local grocery store. For nearly 91 years, it existed as a family-owned “mom and pop” operation, feeding this community of nearly 5,800 residents. 

But a few years ago, when the family decided to sell, the community was concerned about what would happen next. Would it be replaced by a larger chain? Would it go out of business forcing residents to travel nearly 10 miles to the next closest grocery? 

That’s when lifelong Grafton resident Ralph Pence stepped in. He knew what this grocery meant to his family growing up and understood its importance to the community. So, in July 2023 he took a “leap of faith” and bought the business, renaming it “Albert’s Fresh Market.” 

“I was raised in this store, and this store fed me,” said Ralph. “We were blessed to be able to purchase it, but we never dreamed that we needed to do all of the things that needed to be done immediately.” 

It was a big investment, and years of neglect left the store with a leaky roof, outdated insulation, and inefficient lighting. To complicate things, water dripped from the roof on to the store’s floor creating a safety hazard for customers who had to avoid slick spots and dodge the many buckets placed about to catch water. 

So, he worked with the Ohio team at USDA Rural Development and applied for a Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) grant to make much needed improvements like installing energy efficient lighting and new insulation in the roof. The upgrades had an immediate impact: lower monthly electric bills and a better customer experience.     

“When we put forth the grant, the building had water buckets everywhere because of roof leaks, and the insulation was gone, making the store less energy efficient, which led to higher energy bills,” said Ralph. 

With the money saved on energy costs, Ralph re-invested in Albert’s Fresh Market by repairing sidewalks and access ramps for customers, filling potholes in the parking lot, replacing parts of the exterior, and installing a new lighted sign. 

“Every dollar we save, we put back into the store,” said Ralph. “If not for this, there would be no grocery store in our community; it serves our community and the surrounding areas. These are our neighbors and our friends.”

He takes great pride in Albert’s being a family business. Run by his son-in-law, the market hosts a butcher shop and grocery, bakery, dairy, and produce sections that provide jobs for 35-40 people who make up the “family” of Albert’s Fresh Market.

Now, Ralph is finding ways to make the market a value-added opportunity for the community. He purchases locally as much as he can with many products sourced from farms “just down the road,” including fresh fall flowers, honey, pork products, and much of the fruits and vegetables in the produce section. There is even a small alcove in the market where local artisans can sell crafts. 

“I’m a farmer so I understand that we need to sell the right things at the right price. I want to buy as much locally as possible,” said Ralph. “We don’t just take any old products; we want to make sure our products are quality and affordable for our customers.”

“We want to expand to offer more products to the community, but we don’t just want to expand,” Ralph continued. “We want to change the culture and make people want to come here because of the products, services, and atmosphere.” 

That extends beyond groceries and produce. Albert’s Fresh Market provides space in its parking lot to receive clothing and other donations, hosts a “stuff the bus” event to provide food for a local food bank, offers a free Christmas hayride for local families, and fills coolers for the local little league team it sponsors with snacks and drinks on game days. 

“We want this to be home and give back to this community, because ‘to those who have been given much, much is expected,’” said Ralph. “This is not just an investment, it’s who we are.”