George’s Market celebrates 65 years, unveils new food trailer
Thunder Bay’s iconic local grocer marked 65 years Monday morning.
The celebration doubled as the grand unveiling of a new retro-style food trailer named Snacks & Scoops, which will serve ice cream, milkshakes and sundaes.
George’s Market is a family-owned business. Owner Danny Thompson took over for his father George in 1992 and runs the market with his wife Charmaine.
“It was scary,” Thompson said. “My father was pretty well-known and we were so young. But I think the biggest gift that we brought ourselves was tenacity and being able to face the fear.”
Opened on June 1, 1961, with $120 in first-day sales—an amount Danny remembers his father calling “like striking gold”—George’s Market has since grown into a community staple.
A few photos of George’s Market over the years. Danny and his father George are shown in the top right photo (via George’s Market)
“It’s been a privilege to serve our community,” co-owner Charmaine Thompson said. “We’ve seen so many generations come through our door. Our customers have become family and friends to us. We really care about them, and that’s what keeps us motivated to keep growing and to stay here for our community.”
Snacks & Scoops first customer was George’s employee Joe Zeman, who has been working for the market since 1982. He ordered a vanilla chocolate swirl.
“[Snacks & Scoops] is our newest step, but we are firm believers that creating a set plan isn’t the way,” said Graysen Thompson, employee and daughter of Danny and Charmaine. “We like to follow trends and see what our community asks for. We find that’s better than coming up with a five year plan that’s set in stone.”
In a press release, George’s Market wrote that Snacks & Scoops is part of a broader vision to honour tradition with a willingness to evolve.
“One thing we’re comfortable with is the change that is needed to keep this working,” Danny Thompson said. “To stay relevant, you have to embrace the change.”
