Grocery store changes ownership

ESCONDIDO — One of the city’s staples is in new hands.

Sam and Anne Logan, owners of Major Market, sold their two stores in November to Stump’s Markets. The Escondido and Fallbrook locations, however, have retained all of their staff and management, according to Sam Logan.

As for Logan, 74, he said it was the right time to sell after opening the first Major Market in 1988 in Fallbrook. In addition, he expressed his faith in the Stumps family to continue the legacy of Major Market.

A purchase price was not disclosed.

“Both of my partners died and I’m 74 years old and I don’t think I have 20 years left,” Logan said. “I think it was timing. Sometimes things happen. Other than price, the No. 1 thing for us selling to someone was keeping all the employees, and they did.”

The longtime community staple began from humble beginnings in 1988. Two years later, the Logans opened the Escondido store and continued their run of success for more than three decades.

“The Escondido store is the nicest supermarket in Southern California,” Logan said. “It’s competitively priced. It has the best meat department and best seafood.”

One reason, Logan said, was because of community involvement from supporting high schools, youth sports, churches and more. Logan also was president of the Boys & Girls Club in Fallbrook for five years.

Those engagements, he said, was not only personally gratifying, but showed the stores’ commitments to the communities they served.

“You get to know the community when you do that,” Logan added. “If you’re involved with the community and your business is competitive, you’ll get more customers. What goes around comes around.”

Those community activities are a foundation for the stores and continue this weekend with the annual Lobster Mania, which began in 1992. In addition, the store also puts on a barbecue every weekend.

Logan got his first taste of the grocery store game in 1958 when he took a job bagging in his hometown of Lancaster, Mich. From there, he navigated the industry before opening Major Market.

But it all comes back to customer service and building relationships.

“It’s probably the most important (aspect),” Logan said. “When you’ve been in business 20 years, you know most of your customers.”

The Stump’s Markets, according to Logan, has been pursuing his stores for the past five years. Logan said Stump’s never applied pressure, but rather gave notice that if he were to sell, they would jump at the opportunity.

“They were keeping in contact us since my first partner, Dick Lemmon, died,” Logan said. “They said when the time comes, let us know. The time came and I did.”