By Maggie LaNoue, Contributing Writer
On a warm, breezy Thursday afternoon, more than 100 people lined up outside the Family Fare grocery store at 1406 N. Eaton St. in Albion before the celebration began. The first 100 customers would receive a free reusable shopping bag filled with goodies — and the crowd that gathered on April 16 was ready.
Storm warnings were building over southwest Lower Michigan that afternoon, with a Flood Watch in effect and gusts up to 60 miles per hour forecast later in the day. At the store, the mood was anything but stormy. Neighbors greeted neighbors.
Children and quite a few adults posed for photos with Tony the Tiger, the iconic Kellogg’s mascot who has been telling cereal lovers they’re “Gr-r-reat!” since 1952. Tony made the trip from his home in Battle Creek, the cereal capital of the world, just 29 miles down I-94. Free samples, balloon art, and other entertainment added to the festive atmosphere.
It was, in the words of Albion Mayor Victoria Garcia Snyder, exactly what a neighborhood grocery store should be.
“It is not just a store,” the mayor told the crowd. “It is a place we come to see our friends.”
Garcia Snyder, a lifelong Albion resident, spoke warmly about what the store means to the community — particularly for residents without reliable transportation. She recalled working there herself as a young mother. Store manager Keegan Sherman described the store’s relationship with Albion in terms of shared values and a community with a lot of heart.
The 3:30 p.m. ribbon cutting was actually two ceremonies. First came the moment that drew the biggest smiles — students from Harrington Elementary School in Marshall marched in, carrying their own hand-decorated ribbons, covered in colorful drawings of fruits, vegetables, and grocery items. Then came the official cutting of the red Family Fare-branded ribbon, with store staff and SpartanNash representatives, some of whom had traveled from the Grand Rapids area for the occasion.
The renovation that prompted the celebration was extensive. The Albion store features new flooring, new refrigerator and freezer cases, new displays, and an expanded organic produce section. New aisle signs pay tribute to the city, bearing the names of Albion streets, including N. Berrien St., W. Broadwell St., E. Cass St., and S. Hannah St. Additional items were added based on community feedback, and more refrigerator cases are on the way.
The Albion location was one of three Family Fare stores renovated by ownership, alongside locations in Marshall and Eaton Rapids. SpartanNash, the Grand Rapids-based parent company of Family Fare, was acquired in September 2025 by C&S Wholesale Grocers of Keene, New Hampshire, in a $1.77 billion deal. The investment in renovations was welcome news for all three communities.
