Depending on which age group you fall into, one鈥檚 memories of the corner grocery store in Outlook may differ from others.
For some, like this reporter, they may remember going into the Shop Easy with their parents and escaping to the toy and craft section located upstairs, loading up on a new arsenal of toys such as cap guns and action figures.聽 For others, when they think of AG Foods, perhaps the consistent thing they think of is the pride of ownership from the two people who鈥檝e been at the helm since 1984, Royce and Lorna Taylor.
Yes, the store name may have changed at some point over the years, but the mandate has always remained the same 鈥� be there for your customers, and get involved in the community that you serve.
Last week marked 35 years since Royce and Lorna took ownership of the store, taking over the reins from a fellow named Clive Walters after moving to Outlook.聽 The two already had some retail experience before, getting their feet wet by running a store in Neilburg for a few years, a community not far from Royce鈥檚 hometown of Maidstone.
The Facebook page of AG Foods shared Polaroid photos of the store through the years, offering people a glimpse of some local history.聽 And while three decades and change is indeed a long time, it can also feel like as if the years have zipped by at an alarming pace.
Royce and Lorna say they feel good about reaching such a milestone, even if there is some obvious tiredness that has accompanied it.
鈥淭iring,鈥� laughed Royce, asked how it felt to reach 35 years as business owners.聽 鈥淚t feels good, and it means we鈥檝e 鈥榤ade it鈥�, I guess.聽 I don鈥檛 know how long it鈥檚 going to last, but we鈥檙e going to keep going with the flow.鈥�
For the Taylors, what being a business owner in Outlook means is not only serving your customers within your store walls, but getting out into the community and becoming involved.
And involved they鈥檝e been over the years, whether it鈥檚 the mile-long list of fundraising initiatives that the store has supported, or the weekly barbecues in the summertime that not only provide a hot meal on a nice day, but some much-needed dollars for any particular community group, or even throwing a supper together for a family in dire need.聽 When they鈥檙e not lending a hand to the people and other businesses and groups in their community, you can probably find the Taylors at the hockey rink, particularly at this time of the year as Royce manages the Outlook Ice Hawks senior team.
Through it all, Royce and Lorna raised their growing family in Outlook, and the store became very much a family business, with Mom and Dad helping to instill a set of values and a work ethic into each of their kids.聽 Odds are you or someone you know once had a Taylor kid help you with loading your groceries into your vehicle, whether it was Lisa, Blake or Chelsea.
The people of Outlook and area watched them grow up both in the store and in the community, and in turn, the store has done all it can to help out the community.
To the Taylors, being involved is important because it helps make a place feel like home.
鈥淲ell, we feel a part of the community, and we want to be part of the community because if you aren鈥檛, then it just doesn鈥檛 feel like home,鈥� said Royce.聽 鈥淲e want to be as involved as we can.聽 It does get tiring, but if we weren鈥檛 being involved in the community, we鈥檇 be sitting at home maybe watching TV, or else working, and so it鈥檚 nice to get out and be involved with everybody.鈥�
Perhaps it goes without saying that upon hearing that Royce and Lorna were marking 35 years since taking over the store, many people were quick to point out how much the family has done for Outlook over the years.聽 For their part, Royce and Lorna take this kind of praise in stride, staying humble and simply maintaining that they want to keep staying involved with the population in which they serve.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not pillars of the community, we鈥檙e just part of the community, and we want to continue to be involved,鈥� said Royce.
As for the future of AG Foods and any proverbial 鈥榩assing of the torch鈥�, that remains to be seen.聽 Right now, Royce and Lorna are still enjoying the ride and the pride that still remains with owning and operating the store.
鈥淲e鈥檒l have to see what comes, but it鈥檒l be up to the family,鈥� said Royce.聽 鈥淲e鈥檙e certainly not ready to go yet.聽 We may be *looking* like we鈥檙e tired, but we鈥檙e not there yet!鈥�
As far as any advice the two would give to anyone looking to run their own business, their words are simple but very true; be ready for lots of work, and get out into the community and with the people you鈥檙e looking to serve.
For the Taylors, living and owning a business in Outlook has produced some great side effects, such as raising a family in a place where one is proud to call home.聽 Outlook has been good to Royce and Lorna over the years, and without a doubt, many would agree that the Taylors have been very good to Outlook.
鈥淩aising a family, I guess,鈥� said Royce, asked what the best thing about Outlook was for them.聽 鈥淚t鈥檚 a small community and it鈥檚 great to be so close where you know everybody; you don鈥檛 need to worry about sending your kids to the rink when they鈥檙e small.聽 The rink used to be right behind us here, and we鈥檇 send Blake there to go skating and the caretakers would just look after him.聽 Raising our family here has been big for us, and we鈥檝e loved getting out and being involved; if you鈥檙e not involved, then you鈥檙e not a part of the community, and that鈥檚 what it鈥檚 all about.鈥�
