Small Town Comforts

In my travels here and there over the years it has become a habit to stop at local grocery stores. They have always been good gauges of the local culinary culture but more importantly they are a solid way to see the real local people who work hard every day to serve others in the community. There are all kinds of local grocery stores and supermarkets, some good and some not so good, but a very few stand out above all the rest. In the town of Spencer, not too far from the old National Road southwest of Indianapolis, there is Babbs Supermarket. For several years now it has held the #1 ranking of all the grocery stores I have ever known.

In a world of chain stores it is an independent, one of a kind, and it has anchored this town for nearly a hundred years. These days that’s a rarity. It takes a special kind of dedication and loyalty to run a place like this.

In a world of faceless corporate chains it remains a local institution run and owned by local people. They live where they work. They offer jobs to young people, even from the local high school, and other folks from every part of the county have a place here, too. They remember local heroes. A banner catches my eye every time I’m about to leave the store. From it a fallen soldier, Pvt. Brett Wood, looks soberly across the store from above the customer service desk, reminding me that the freedoms we enjoy are not free, and that some gave everything so we can have them. Pvt. Wood gave his life for his country and for all of us in Afghanistan.

In a time when customer service has been neglected or forgotten in most places, every employee at this place will cheerfully help any customer any time of the day or night. They will order things. They will tell you when a product is due in on the truck. They will help customers find anything in the store. The meat department people will advise on the source of a cut of beef or pork, and they will explain how they cook it themselves. If I forget something on the cart when I leave, it will be there for me at the service desk when I return. They will help with carry out. Everything is done with a smile and deliberate courtesy. The cashiers will speak with me and carry on a conversation. There are no self-checkout lanes. I like that.

It’s a place that’s always spotless. The parking lot is always clean and the carts never pile up outside. I see people washing and wiping counters that I’ll swear already look clean. There is no dust. The produce always looks great. The freezers do not have frosty areas and the cooler doors are always clean. The floors are always bright and white. I don’t know how they do it.

I have written about Babbs before, but this time I want to highlight one of the best departments in the store, and that’s the deli. When I visit other stores I always check the deli department, and they tell me a great deal. Most deli displays have things that look good. Some cater to the lunch crowd and some more to dinner and evening shoppers. The deli folks here go out of their way to prepare and serve a full meal with choices from late in the morning to late at night. There is always the best fried chicken ever, easily better than what the Colonel offers, along with three variations on the plump rotisserie chicken ready to take home for an instant full dinner. There is always meat loaf, that classic of comfort foods, and its frequent companion mac and cheese. 

There are green beans, green bean casserole, mashed potatoes and gravy, sweet potatoes, or carrots and peas. Big fish filets and a spoon of tartar sauce make for a great entree or a memorable sandwich. The photos were taken on Super Bowl Sunday, but the only difference I see from the usual are the barbecue ribs and the buffalo chicken wings. 

These are in the hot meals section. In the cold display there will be found potato salad and other salads, cold chicken, sandwiches, and deli cheese and meats for every palette. And there’s dessert, like that berry cobbler in the left hand back corner. Yum. Unlike the mass market chains, everyone in the deli department can carry on a conversation and seem happy to see me every time I come by. I like that.

By the time I reach the checkout lanes I am in a good mood. As my choices go through the scanner I can inquire about the weather, road conditions, or how busy it has been. We sometimes converse about what I’m buying. I get recommendations and they may take suggestions from me, like the best-I-ever-ate vanilla or black cherry frozen yogurt. I participate, too, like when I get to use the hand scanner to zap a bar code in the bottom of the cart. It’s like they trust me.

Over the years I have come to trust them, too. I’m feel grateful and blessed every time I go there. It’s my all-time favorite small town supermarket and home for small town comforts. When you’re in town, don’t miss it. They’ll be happy to see you, too.

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