Hansen’s IGA new store manager Jason Harwick welcomed members of the Stanley Chamber of Commerce to Coffee and Commerce on Sept. 5. Harwick has been the new store manager of the Stanley location for three months having recently joined the Hansen’s IGA team. His background is in management in grocery and retail with a human resource background and he is currently working on getting his Senior Human Resources Certificate. He added that a career in grocery management “seemed like the right fit for me.”
Chamber members enjoyed cupcakes, hot coffee, and juice while Harwick shared new updates to the store, highlighting sales and new items and mentioning that the loading dock area was recently optimized to facilitate smoother and more efficient shipment handling. He disclosed that more changes are set to happen soon including a Green Bay Packer’s display near the bakery. Harwick noted that Hansen’s IGA is committed to exceptional customer service and product quality by ensuring that staff warmly greets every customer who walks into the store, creating a welcoming atmosphere for all shoppers.
“We have great product quality. We go through many different vendors that fellow competitors use as well to stock their shelves,” he stated. As Chamber members commented on the delicious bakery products, Harwick explained that the bakers begin baking at 5:30 a.m. Monday through Saturday to serve fresh bakery items. He praised head cake decorator Caitlin Dahl for her exceptional cake decorating skills on the wonderful cake creations.
Hansen’s IGA is committed to bringing their customers the best not only with their groceries but in their shopping experience as well. The deli department offers a varied selection of meats, cheeses, and lunch or dinner options, saving customers time and money. The produce department shines with a colorful display of fresh fruits and vegetables locally sourced when possible and in the meat department, customers can find an assortment of fresh cuts ensuring quality freshness and flavor. Cassandra Gulcynski, Assistant Store Director/Grocery Manager explained that if a customer is looking for an item that isn’t in stock, they will make every effort to locate the item so the customer can purchase it. As a thriving Stanley business for the past decade, Hansen’s IGA is proud to be a community market and believes in giving back to the community. Harwick shared that many donations are made to local organizations including the Stanley-Boyd Food Pantry, The Knights of Columbus, and the local Stanley Rodeo. Additionally, they allow various community groups and organizations to host brat stands several times in the year. Hansen’s IGA, a family-owned market, has twelve locations including, Bangor, Black River Falls, Cashton, East Troy, Elkhorn, Elroy, Neillsville, Mondovi, Prairie du Sac, Sparta, Washburn, Westby, West Salem, and Stanley. Though the future of grocery stores is ever changing, Harwick is confident that Hansen’s IGA will remain a pillar in the Stanley community. “I can’t predict the future, but hard work, good spending, excellent products, and great customer service will help us prevail in the times to come,” he said.
To save customers time and money, Hansen’s IGA now offers a free mobile app which patrons can download and add coupons to save on various items throughout the store or digital coupons can also be found on the website at hansensiga.com.
Interested in hosting an upcoming Coffee & Commerce event? Contact the Stanley Chamber at stanleyareachamber@gmail.com for more information.