Mike Arenz and his dad, Gene, talk about running a small family business for five generations. Arenz's has had stores all over the tri state area. It's weathered world wars, depressions, the disruption of big box stores like Pamida and Wal-Mart, the internet and the six-month shut down of Water Street, Sparta's main commercial thoroughfare. And they've done it by being nimble, planning ahead when they can and turning on a dime when they can't. And they're following these same basic rules with Covid-19. Mike, for instance, does not consider himself a techie. Nonetheless, when a friend offered to create a virtual tour of the store for him, Mike went for it. And, he turned a small glitch into a marketing campaign. They also talk about some of my family's shopping habits--and Mike helps me shop for running shoes.
And, after posting this podcast, I got a bunch of comments--so I've added one more Arenz anecdote. Email me at monroecountymatters@gmail.com if you've got one of your own!