In the modern business era, there has been a severe reduction in the number of privately owned stores. "Mom and Pop" stores, which once dominated the North Country's rural landscape, are becoming less and less prolific as the multi-million dollar corporations and nationwide franchises begin to infiltrate the area. Large companies, priding themselves on low prices and efficiency, are notorious for driving smaller businesses, who are unable to compete with wholesale prices, out of the area.

Mmm... Michigans!

However, one notable exception to this trend has not forsaken the comfort of a small friendly shop for a better profit, nor have they sacrificed affable customer service for uniformity and policy. Through their meticulous attention to providing the customer with excellent service and quality products, they have been increasingly successful for three quarters of a century. This popular chain of stores, located all over the North Country, is Stewart's.

A familiar site for any North Country resident

Stewart's was founded back in 1921, when the Dake brothers, Charles and Percy, began making ice cream at their farm in Greenfield, New York. Over the following decades, the business underwent substantial advancements. In 1935, The Dake's opened Saratoga Dairy, allowing them to expand their growing business, and in 1948, the company introduced the first folding half-gallon carton of ice cream, as well as the first "Make Your Own Sundae" bar. By 1950, not long after the Saratoga Dairy and Stewart's Ice Cream merged, the Stewart's corporation had over 50 shops operating in New York State.

Since then, Stewart's has grown exponentially, and although they've become one of the most successful businesses in the state, they have maintained the feel of a small privately owned "Mom and Pop" store. Because of this, Stewart's has not fallen victim to the same criticisms that other franchise stores, such as Wal-Mart, have encountered. The current owner, Gary Dake, remains dedicated to providing the same quality product and service that his ancestors provided when they first began making ice cream.

"In any service industry, your paycheck is written by the customer," Doreen explains.

It's no accident that Stewart's projects themselves as a small friendly shop. The company strives to cultivate their image through their dedication to the customer. "In any service industry, your paycheck is written by the customer," Doreen Roach, a manager in training with Stewart's, explains. Doreen, who has over 23 years experience in food service management, understands how important the customer is to the success of the store. "They stress it (customer service). I'm not working for the paycheck, I'm working for the bonuses." The bonuses represent financial incentives that manager's stand to make depending on the growth of the store."If your not working for the bonus, you won't show the growth," Doreen explains.

Doreen, hard at work

Many, if not all of Stewart's policies, from their incentive plans to their daily business operations, are designed to inspire customer service. Besides Stewart's famous Milk Club, weekly gas sales, and ice cream specials, the company also encourages all employees to be as sociable and friendly as possible, going as far as requiring all associates to wear 'ribbons' on their uniform, which inform customers of the ways that Stewart's serves them. Some ribbons merely say, "Join my milk club," while others boast of Stewart's lofty charitable donations.

Stewart's also differs from other franchise stores through their charitable donations within the community. Stewart's has always been a particularly generous company. Since 1986, they've raised over 7 million dollars through their holiday matching gift program, which entails matching the donations that they collect from customers between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Last year alone, the company raised $816,000 for different charities.

The holiday matching fundraiser only represents about 25 percent of Stewart's yearly donations. Stewart's also donates actual products to local charities. In many Plattsburgh stores, for instance, all of the extra Stewart's milk and bread goes directly to the local food shelf. Besides products, Stewart's also donates gift certificates for all their products, especially ice cream, to different organizations in the community. They even offer specials for free ice cream cones on nearly every holiday, including St. Patrick's Day, Easter, and Earth Day.

So many different flavors

Through their attention to customer service, as well as through their achievement in the community, Stewart's has been able to thrive on a national scale without having to forgo their friendly reputation. However, one must realize that without high quality products, none of this would matter. Fortunately, Stewart's also boasts some of the best farm-fresh milk and eggs in the state, as well as their famous ice cream. Stewart's demands that all products be of superior quality, requiring that milk only travel for at most 48 hours between the factory and the store in which it's sold. In fact their website even goes as far as to declare, "If you want fresher milk, you'd have to get a cow!"

In addition to their products, Stewart's also achieves a higher level of customer satisfaction through the innovative ways they compensate their employees. Because a convenience store position can sometimes cause employees to become unmotivated and cynical, Stewart's introduced a very specific incentive plan. Each store gets to keep a certain percentage of their monthly profit to divide amongst the staff. Thus, employees at a Stewart's shop know that when the store loses money, they lose money as well. On the other hand, when the store makes a great profit, the employees receive a substantial bonus in their check.

"Just be nice to everyone and get everything right, and the closer you are to perfect, the bigger your check is," Greg said.

Sandwiches and subs, made fresh everyday

Greg Ross, a 22-year-old college student and an employee of Stewart's for the last five months, has taken the message of the incentive plan to heart. Frequently when he's working behind the register, he can be heard pushing sale items and persuading customers to take advantage of special offers. "Would you like to add another loaf of bread for 81 cents?" he asks a customer who had apparently missed the "two for $1.99" sign. Unlike Doreen, Greg doesn't view Stewart's as a career, yet he still takes the customer service aspect very seriously. "I like it, yeah. Just to be nice to everyone and get everything right, and the closer you are to perfect, the bigger your check is."

Through the combination of their high quality products, their attention to customer service, and their generosity throughout the community, Stewart's is able to capture the same comfort and atmosphere as a privately owned "Mom and Pop" store that other franchise stores eventually lose as they become corporate giants. But don't take my word for it; just walk into any one of the countless Stewart's shops throughout the North Country and see for yourself.

What's Your Favorite Stewart's Ice Cream?

Know Your Stewart's Ice Cream

Stewart's Ice Cream, which has become famous throughout the North Country, comes in a large variety of flavors. However, if there are too many for you to pick from, feel free to ask for a sample. They're happy to oblige. Here's a list of the different flavors that they serve.

(Light flavors are in italics)

Adirondack Bear Paw

Black Raspberry

Black Sweet Cherry

Butter Pecan

Cherry Vanilla

Chocolate

Chocolate Butter Almond

Chocolate Chip

Chocolate Marshmallow

Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookie Dough

Chocolate Swirl

Colombian Coffee

Cotton Candy

Cream 'n Coffee Fudge

Crumbs Along the Mohawk

Death by Chocolate

Fireworks

French Vanilla

Fudge Brownie Alamode

Heavenly Hash

Maple Walnut

Mint Chip

Philly Vanilla

Red Raspberry Velvet

Strawberry

Box of Chocolates

Cookies 'n Cream

Kaydeross Kreme

M&M Brownie Fudge

Mint Chocolate Chip

Star Gazer

Rainbow Sherbet

New: Nite Cap