Jeff Bailey discusses Kroger Remodel on "Make It Happen With David Lorms"

HOUSTON - Oct. 31, 2014 - PRLog -- He’s an award winning retail General Manager who started his work career as an apprentice meat cutter and thinks that life is like a camera.  Meet Jeff Bailey, Manager of the Kroger on 43^rd street near Ella.  He was a recent guest on the weekly radio show, Make It Happen With David Lorms.

Bailey’s family moved to Houston when he was in the 7^th grade.  While in school, Bailey always had a job.  First he mowed lawns and babysat, then when he turned 16, he worked in his dad’s restaurant.  “Early on my dad instilled a healthy work ethic in me that I still live by today” says Bailey.  David Lorms asks him if he recommends parents approve their kids working before graduation.  “I think it’s important for kids to have a part time job while in school,” Jeff says. “It’s a good way to learn the value of a dollar and keeps them out of serious trouble!” he laughs.  After graduation, at 17, Bailey started working at the Meyerland Kroger as an apprentice meat cutter.  “I made so much money that I moved out of my parents’ house to my own place and saw no need to go to college.”  He, however, is proud to point out the 3 of his 4 daughters are college girls.  So far, though, none is working for Kroger!

He joined the Management Training Program at Kroger while still young and has been in management ever since.  He ran the Kingwood store before transferring to the Garden Oaks/Oak Forest location, which serves 35,000 customers a week.  In 2012 Kroger awarded Bailey the President’s Leadership Award.

Lorms asks him about one of his roughest times.  Bailey answers that it was when his father passed away.  “It was tough.  He had been a great role model for me, even in his last days.  I hated watching him die of cancer.”  Just a year after his dad’s passing, Bailey was himself diagnosed with cancer.  “Surviving a disease like cancer makes you stronger.  It gives you a more grateful look at life.  I feel Dad’s strength helped me get through my own cancer and helped those around me as well.”

Lorms asks Bailey for his philosophy for business and life.  Bailey gives a grin and answers, “Life is like a camera, focus on what important, capture the good times, develop from the negatives, if things don’t work out, take another shot!”

The store Bailey runs has just undergone a dazzling $5 million renovation.  “We even finished the work 2 weeks ahead of schedule!” exclaims Dani Murphy- Cannella, Public Affairs for Kroger who is also in the studio.

“Remodeling has given us a second chance to make a good impression.  We have a totally new layout for produce and other products,” explains Bailey.  The organic produce section is larger.  Bailey’s managers are getting great feedback from their customers.  His staff often performs quality checks to make sure they put out the freshest of each product. Murphy-Cannella adds, “When dealing with seasons, farmers and fresh produce, you have to get it while you can!  We try to source locally.  We work with many Texas farmers and vendors.  Kroger wants the freshest produce and meats for our customers and we want to support our local economy.”

With the recent remodeling, Bailey says that the beer area gained square footage. “We like selling local beers and we enlarged the craft selection which folks in the area really like.”  There’s a new area now: Top 50 beers.  There is also a larger selection of wine and more space for it.  Bailey prides himself and his managers on listening to his customers.  If they want a product they don’t find, they will try to get it for them.  A good example of this is the expansion of the nutrition dept. They heard from customers they wanted more natural and organic selections with good quality at a good price.  “We moved it to a better space and added square footage. Gluten Free is also highlighted throughout the store,” adds Bailey.

The highest amount of growth in the store is fresh, natural meat and produce.  The meat department has new equipment and more natural meats, free range chicken, grass-fed beef, etc.  They also have a wider variety of seafood. The Pharmacy is now twice as big and has the addition of an automated pill counter.  The space and technology will give the pharmacy staff more room and more time to take care of their customers.

The pre-prepared meals this Kroger offers have been enhanced.  Perfect Fit Meals are made fresh with no additives and are stocked daily.  Lorms comments that he loves the wholesome soups available!  As an alternate to a salad bar, the deli staff makes salads where they make the fresh sandwiches back in the deli.  They are quite popular and sell about 50 a day.  They have added a larger selection of high-end cheeses and invite their customers to come by for a sample.

And just as important: New Restrooms!  Price scanners are located in the store now and there’s a Kroger app for your smart phone.

The renovation also included their outdoor space.  For the safety of everyone, the parking lot has been re-striped and re-lamped.  It’s a lot brighter now.  There are new trash barrels and new “corrals” for the shopping carts. New carts have been added including the smaller “urban” carts.  The Catronics System  will be coming soon with locking wheels so they won’t “roll off the property.”

A call from the listening audience asked about panhandlers outside the store. Murphy-Cannella answers “Safety is our first priority in the store and on and around our property.  There is a yellow box at each of the lanes in the gas station.  Just hit the button and it will ring the store automatically, around the clock, even if the store is closed to customers.”  Bailey says that they will handle the situation immediately.  A manager will take the store officer and ask the panhandler to leave.  Their security staff is made up of off-duty Peace Officers.

David Lorms hosts Make It Happen With David Lorms, an internet radio show on www.KBREEZSports.com live every Wednesday at noon about entrepreneurs, business owners, and successful people, their challenges and failures turned into success, and advise for people to better their lives and careers. Past episodes are available by pod cast on http://www.spreaker.com/user/7420120 or on Lorms's web site http://www.lormsinsuranceservices.com and on iHeartRadio. He is also an Award Winning Insurance Expert, Best-Selling Author having won numerous media awards, including the Quilly and the EXPY Awards for his shared industry knowledge. He's been featured in Forbes Magazine and USA Today and various other radio talk shows.