LORAIN, Ohio — At Fligner's Market in Lorain, you won’t find self-checkouts or automated services. The family-run grocery store prides itself on human connection, treating both staff and customers like family.
"We like to know our customers when they come in here," President Ben Fligner said. "We like to know what they're looking for. We like to know what they're doing. We care. We're part of the community."
For 100 years, Fligner's has served the Lorain community and beyond, starting in 1924 as the Lorain Cut-Rate Fruit Company by Harry and Morris Fligner. Over the years, the company grew, with the next generation, Kel Fligner, expanding the business with a meat department.
Today, the meat counter, which the Fligners call the longest full-service meat counter in the country, is a cornerstone of the business.
"We got into the catering business, we got into the smoked meat business, we just keep developing," Ben told us. "Every few years, we want to come out with some new stuff to do — keep it exciting, keep trying to change with the times, provide a service to people that other stores don't like to do."
A number of employees have witnessed that growth and change firsthand, the market starting off in 6,000 square feet and growing to 32,000 square feet today. Nikola Grpcevski has worked at the market for about 40 years, and you can find him in the meat department making homemade sausages.
"Everything's good, the people are so nice," he said. "(We) take care of the people. Whatever they want, we got it."
It's a sentiment shared by Carlotta Rivera West. She worked at Fligner's for 25 years, retiring a few years ago. However, she still does her grocery shopping there and says hi to old friends.
"It's always going to be a family," she stated. "This is a special place. I mean, it's friendly. You always want to come back."
"They're our family. Their problems are our problems, and that's how that's how you treat people," Ben said of his employees. "We learned a long time ago to treat people the right way and you'll be alright."
It's a lesson, Ben says, he learned from his father, Kel, the former head of the market. Sadly, Kel unexpectedly passed away in the beginning of June at the age of 84. Just the day before he died, Kel was at work at the store.
"He was big on taking care of everybody, that was what meant a lot to him," Ben said of his father. "It was a badge of honor, and I'm trying to carry it on."
"He’s going to be really missed, really missed," Rivera West added. "Everybody loved him."
"Kel was good to me and my family, so I used to do a lot of work for him," Grpcevski concurred.
Something both Ben and his son, Zachary, will miss is Kel’s voice on the store intercom, a reminder of his presence.
"My favorite memory is actually when I was working back in the kitchen, he would just be like, 'Zach, line two,'" Zachary recalled. "He just wanted to simply call me, about just a little conversation. I'm going to miss hearing him on the speakers and stuff."
Zachary, who's going into his senior year at Kent State, would be the fifth generation of Fligners to be involved in the family business.
"I definitely have big shoes to fill because my grandpa definitely left a big legacy for the store and just the community in general," he said.
Ben calls his father the driving force of the business, and credits him with the local store making it to 100 years.
"My dad probably worked 25, 30 hours a week as a 10-year-old. He just knew he loved this place. You can't teach that. Either you have it in you or you don't, and he had it in him," Ben noted. "It wasn't work to him; he liked being here. This was his identity. This was everything to him."
Before Kel's death, the business had been planning a 100-year celebration party, to be held on Saturday from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. at the store with music, food, and giveaways. Now, Kel's son Jon says the party, which will go on as scheduled, will also be an opportunity to honor his father.
"I think he just wants everybody to really have fun and enjoy the 100-year celebration, and I'm sure a lot of that will also turn into a celebration of my dad's life," Jon said. "Even though he won't be there with us physically, we know he will be there in our hearts."
For five years, Kel served on the board of trustees at Lorain Community College, according to Jon. He tells us they have set up a scholarship fund in honor of Kel in the hopes of providing opportunities for students in Lorain County to continue their education.