By LISA S. KING

FN Asst. Editor

lisa@nasguard.com

Hugh David Solomon is among the number of entrepreneurs on Grand Bahama whose commitment to the community in which they live have earned them great achievement mainly because their major intent is to always develop something that benefits everyone.

For 17 years, Solomon has served the entire island of Grand Bahama via his Kross Town Convenience Store on Settler's Way. For the most part of those years, he has gained much appreciation for running a business that not only has been profitable, but one that is needed and daily seeks to ensure that need is met.

If you have not been in the food store for a while, when you do get an opportunity to go, you will notice something remarkably different about it as Solomon has gone through great lengths to expand its structure. Where the meats and fresh produce used to be, now takes you through a spacious corridor that leads to a bigger and better assortment of goods.

The astute businessman says before he opened the store in 1992, he never envisioned getting into the foodstore business, but amazingly stumbled upon the notion to do so after receiving reliable word that it was something worthy to invest his money in.

"When I constructed the first building, it was my in-tention to open an over the counter drugstore and a laundromat and during the initial construction of the building, I heard that a delicatessen that used to be on Queens Highway that sold popular food items to the public was going out of business," Solomon said. "I was then advised to get into selling groceries and get into that field, so I went back to the Port Authority and eventually got a licence to open up a small grocery store.

"So that is where I started this business from, but it was not something that I set out to do," Solomon said. "I have realized over the years that it involves a lot of work. It is one of those businesses that work you hard and you got to work along with it, but it is still one of the better businesses because people need it."

Solomon said people talk about owning various businesses and they often state how the liquor business is very lucrative, however, he believes the grocery business is far better. He said plenty of people will buy clothes and other items, but everyone has to eat and drink.

"As long as people have children, you have to go to the foodstore because grown ups may not want to spend that money for themselves, but they have to for the sake of their children," he said.

Reflecting on how far Kross Town Convenience Store has come, Solomon said the whole experience has been an enlightening one for him, particularly because it has enabled him to see the more important reasons why getting into the business is so worthwhile.

"I began realizing that I am serving a purpose and need. With each passing day at every stage of my expansion, I realize how much Kross Town has become an integral part of society, especially the neighbourhood," he said. "It has become more of a fixture now, everybody expects you to be here and to supply their needs. That's been a good and learning experience for me, that is to realize that you are actually servicing the needs of the people."

While there were many days he felt like closing up shop and staying home, he chose not to because he became aware of how important the business was to the people in the surrounding area.

"When it comes to owning a business, you will run into little obstacles sometimes and disappointments, and you will say to yourself ' is this worth it' but at the end of it or overall, you realize it is worth it," he said.

Giving a little history on the convenience store, Solomon said that Kross Town actually started in the spot where the Rum Spout (now a different name) used to be and over the years, it has grown from that to what they presently have.

"After a short while, I ended up having to open the walls and expanding it to a second block building and then after that I had to open it up some more into a third block building where they now have the phone shop." he said. " I had used that as my warehouse, years ago. In 1995 I had another section built and moved on over because it would give the business a bigger space. We have been operating here from then until now having just completed the latest expansion this year."

The whole area at the back of store now, he said, is new. The space in between the new area and the main food- store used to be his old office and storage area. With the new expansion, he now has more than enough shop space and the main reason behind the change was to provide a more comfortable environment for customers.

"We had really outgrown the old space we had, so I needed to develop more space," he said. "This was always my focus, that is, as we grew to find a way to be able to accommodate the customers. I want Kross Town to be known as the store that has everything and if by chance you walk in and I don't have it, I want to promise you that the next time you come in, I will have it. So if I ain't gat it, I will get it for you."

Solomon was quick to point out that even though he knows that his business has grown to the point where more space has been placed within the store, he does not want Kross Town to be viewed as being in the same rank as a City Market Food Store because he wants the public to see it simply as a convenience store serving the needs of the community, not a big mega market, but a reliable place for people to come to for their grocery needs.

"Personally, I don't envision that for my store, but I wouldn't rule that out for anyone who may want to take the ball further," he said. "But me personally, I wouldn't take this store to the point where I want it to become another City Market. Of course I have entertained the thought or idea of probably expanding out to duplicate myself, but to get to a City Market point, no, because I am very happy and satisfied with the size I am right now."

Solomon, who hopes to one day pass on the business to his children, says he sees the potential for Kross Town to go on to bigger and better things.

"I am not going to try and push my will on anyone, but there is some potential and it would be nice if they could understand the whole concept of this business, take the ball and run with it, as far as I am concerned, it has already started and the only way it gets better is if you take the ball and run with it. You just don't lay down with it."

When asked why he believes people are drawn to Kross Town, he said they are simply impressed with the service and without a doubt the competitive prices.

"I think that our prices are really competitive, I think that we offer really good service here too and we have a good variety of quality merchandise and I make a concerted effort to really try and keep the prices competitive and in a lot of cases if people would give me a chance, they will find the prices in here are better than City Market prices," he said.

"Over the years, I am surprised to hear people say that they did not know this place was here and are not aware that there are businesses like this that care about how they spend their money and are prepared to offer good prices on the same products they can get in the big food stores."

Solomon, who prides himself on being an understanding, yet cautious businessman, says even his employees have been encouraged to see themselves as being a part of what takes place daily at the store.

"So it's actually the employees that makes it work," he explained. "I hope they feel that way because I love to think of my employees as part of the Kross Town family and I think that makes a big difference and I have been fortunate in that most of the persons whom I have had employed here, understood that concept and worked with it."