By Terra Avilla
I think as a community, when I started writing about people and things that make Lassen County so great, we all knew it wouldn’t be long, before I wrote about Susanville Supermarket IGA.
Let’s be honest, you all saw this coming. To be fair, it isn’t really the store itself that makes Susanville Supermarket so special, it’s the wonderful hearts that work there that make shopping a one of a kind experience.
In a way, those friendly faces, Patti, Toni, Jessica, Jim, Avery, Katie, Frank, (I could go on and on) become synonymous with the hometown feel you have when you walk in through the door.
Always kind, always helpful, but more importantly, they are genuinely amazing people. No matter what mood I am in when I enter those doors, I’m greeted by every employee that sees me with a sincere smile, forcing my grumpiness to soften.
One of my first memories of IGA was when I was a new momma and had a very fussy baby. Going grocery shopping in and of itself was an ordeal all on its own. I had purchased over a hundred dollars’ worth of groceries and went to reach into my wallet to pay when I noticed that I had left my debit card at home.
All of my groceries were bagged in the cart, and my newborn daughter was starting to cry. I was about to have a meltdown. Embarrassed, but also exhausted over the thought of having to lug my newborn home, grab my card, drive back to the store and have to go through the line all over again.
The cashier, (who I really think it was Patti….but that day was kind of a haze), made a quick call to someone on the phone, then told me to go home with my groceries and baby and come back later to pay. She would print the receipt so I just had to go to customer service whenever my husband got home.
I couldn’t believe it. She saw me on the verge of tears, obviously struggling, and her act of kindness has always made me have an adoration for IGA. Nowhere else in America would they do that for anyone, police officer or not.
And of course there is Todd. Todd Eid. The man, the myth, the legend. Todd is an amazing force all on his own and is part of the very heart and soul of why IGA is so special.
I don’t remember the exact moment I met Todd, he just seems to have appeared in my life, with that booming voice and infectious smile. You’d be hard pressed to find a man who loves his community more than Todd.
Between sweet Anna and her wonderful husband, Rick Stewart, you really could not have a company ran by better people. People who are uncompromising about giving back the community.
I could try and list all the ways they donate to this community, however, everyone knows that list would be endless. Between putting out Toys for Tots collection boxes, being a very important site for Salvation Army Bell ringing, donating countless goodies and drinks, to every single youth program in Lassen County, allowing every sports program to use their store as a car wash fundraising site… they kind of have the market corned on giving.
Over the years, IGA has become special to the Avilla household for more than just a place to buy groceries.
Peach knows that when she has her daddy date she is going to get a pink sprinkled donut from Ms. Toni in the bakery first thing in the morning. She loves IGA, this is where she gets to sit to watch parades. I know that in the mornings when I am having a rough start, IGA will have a really good cup of $1 coffee waiting for me.
Frankie knows that on days when he has a double header over at Memorial Ball Park, he can send his players to IGA to grab a delicious deli sandwich for him.
Speaking of Memorial Ballpark, have you noticed that new color on the rear of the building? The owners were asked to paint it a certain color so that it made a baseball easier to see from the pitching mound and Rick and Anna said, “of course!” and painted the rear of their building in an effort to help our high school and College Baseball teams any way they could.
Are you kidding me? These things don’t happen anywhere else!
The people at IGA are so very special that they in a way have ruined shopping at other stores for me. What do you mean I don’t get a hug from the manager when I walk in? What do you mean I can’t sing Christmas Carols over the intercom?
The people of IGA are a collective culture of sweetness and generosity spearheaded by Todd, Anna and Rick. A culture of love and community and service to others. Their slogan is “hometown proud,” which is very fitting because they are one of the very reasons I love this place and am very proud to call it my home!
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