Pandemic Be Damned! Opportunity Reigns

Christy LaGrew sees opportunity in Lac du Flambeau. In fact, she saw opportunity here before joining the LDF Country Market team.

“Before I started working here I thought the produce area looked really nice,” Christy says. “It’s full of color and I am sincerely impressed by the freshness of the produce section.”

As the new produce department leader, now Christy works every day to keep it that way. Fresh fruits and vegetables are more important than ever during the pandemic, she says.

“Being home during the pandemic can lead people to sit around eating unhealthier comfort foods,” Christy says. “Healthier eating depends a lot on how convenient it is to get fruits and veggies. With the new store, shoppers have what they need right here.”

And there’s other benefits to shopping local, she says.

“No longer do shoppers need to travel to Minocqua to shop, which saves on gas and time, as well as coming in contact with fewer people while shopping,” Christy says.

She says she’s surrounded by really good people who are always helpful at the LDF Country Market. Her teammates, she believes, are the reason for satisfied customers.

“Product pricing is decent too,” Christy adds. “I’ve seen other places with outrageous pricing for off-brand and top-brand items. Pricing here is decent and the total cost gets better if you factor for time to drive and gas to get to shop somewhere farther away.”

Christy knows what she’s talking about when it comes to retail. She has extensive experience in retail and sales roles.

The highlight of her career so far at the LDF Country Market?

“I’ve been here a few weeks and someone commented on how nice the tomato display looked,” she says. “That gave me a great sense of pride.”

A Bad River Tribal Member, Christy lived her entire life on the Bad River Reservation before coming to Lac du Flambeau. Now that she lives here, there have been some changes.

“The pandemic doesn’t seem to slow people down here,” she observes. “Most people wearing masks and adapting to the situation. It’s a new adventure for her family, however.”

Part of that adventure will be adapting to the new abnormal of the upcoming holidays. Christy says that holiday gatherings usually involve large numbers of her extended family members.

“This year we will have fewer family members gathered,” she says. “But I’m still making a meal big enough to feed an army. We’ll have plenty of leftovers!”

With her mother getting up there in age, Christy would love to go home to Bad River. But just cannot risk exposing her mother to covid. But, pandemic be damned, she still sees opportunity.

“We’re going to make turkey everything leftovers,” she says. “Turkey soup, turkey casserole, turkey, turkey, turkey.”