CARTERVILLE, Ill. — With the rise of big-box stores and rising operational costs, small-town businesses are becoming scarcer. Yet independent grocers play a vital role in local economies, especially within rural communities or food deserts.
The second annual Independent Grocer Summit brought together local grocery store owners to learn from industry experts and network with one another. The event shared practical strategies for staying competitive and strengthening their bottom line, with sessions covering profit margins, performance benchmarking, digital marketing, and opportunities for future growth.
While many consumers increasingly use these small stores for quick trips for everyday items like milk and bread, often reserving big shopping trips for large-scale retailers, independent grocers remain a vital resource. Unlike large chain retailers, local grocers often know their customers by name and are deeply invested in the communities they serve. They create jobs, support local organizations, and keep dollars circulating within the local economy.
Event organizer John Shadowens has worked extensively with grocery retailers across southern Illinois. As a community and economic development educator, he has seen how strong customer relationships and personalized service help set local stores apart from larger corporate retailers.
“When we lose the local grocery store, we lose the heartbeat of our community,” Shadowens said. “Food access is reduced, and health disparities increase.”
Plans are already underway to bring the summit back for a third year. In addition, Illinois Extension will soon launch a podcast for independent grocery store owners, managers, grocery wholesalers, and vendors. The podcast will include interviews with industry experts and consultants, case studies, emerging trends, tools, and other resources to assist independent grocers.
To learn more about the podcast or other upcoming programs or opportunities, please visit extension.illinois.edu.
University of Illinois Extension develops educational programs, extends knowledge, and builds partnerships to support people, communities, and their environments as part of the state's land-grant institution. Extension serves as the leading public outreach effort for University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and the College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences in all 102 Illinois counties through a network of 27 multi-county units and over 500 staff statewide. Extension’s mission is responsive to eight strategic priorities — community, economy, environment, food and agriculture, health, partnerships, technology and discovery, and workforce excellence — that are served through five program areas — 4-H youth development, agriculture and agribusiness, community and economic development, health and community wellness, and natural resources, environment, and energy.