Let me openly confess: I am absolutely addicted to shopping at Brooks Grocery in Tupelo, Mississippi.
This family owned and operated Mississippi grocery store is located less than a mile from where I live, and that makes it a source of daily temptation for me. In fact, you might even find me there more than once a day, depending on what I forgot to get on my first visit of the day.
Now, if you have never visited one of the three grocery stores owned by Brooks and Lisa Davis, then you are missing out on some of North Mississippi’s best locally sourced products as well as over 120 delicious foods made in-house. And you’re also missing out on the ultimate customer service experience.
When the Brooks family opened the first of its three current stores in Iuka, Mississippi, back in 2009, that was (and remains to be) their main objective: to offer quality food and groceries at reasonable prices, with a strong emphasis on customer service.
I also confess that I have probably tried the majority of those 120-plus homemade products, including sweet and savory breads, desserts, smoked meats, soups, salads, dips, and casseroles. And yes, I love their daily food bar, their gelato showcase, and their fresh array of sushi.
My favorites include Brooks’s smoked chicken salad, chicken and dumplings, and wide variety of cookies. Honestly, I have not tasted one cookie from Brooks that I did not thoroughly enjoy.
But I also enjoy the wide array of gourmet products sold at Brooks, including the most beautiful flowers and local honey that came out of that Mississippi flower-growing process.
Yet, no matter how good, how beautiful, or how convenient each of these treats is, it’s not just the products that keep me coming back to Brooks.
It’s customer service!
Truthfully, so many of today’s stores and restaurants have taken the human factor out of our shopping experiences. Shopping has evolved into a one-size-fits-all mentality, but that “one size” does not necessarily fit who we should be as fellow human beings.
Luckily, Brooks is reviving the true Mississippi spirit of hospitality for their customers, and it is so refreshing, so welcome, and so needed in our fast-paced, technologically advanced world.
I love how each Brooks employee smiles, speaks, and interacts with customers face-to-face. I especially appreciate the local teenagers who work at Brooks. They look at me in the eye and ask me about my day, or question why I like a certain product that I repeatedly purchased. Or sometimes, they simply comment on the weather. Whatever the case, they are learning to converse and communicate. And I love it!
After all, just because Brooks (or any store) is open and has readily available, great products, customers still do NOT have to shop there. Shoppers like me come back to Brooks over and over again because of their human factor – because of their customer service.
And in doing so, Brooks reminds us daily that we are all NEIGHBORS.
So … hey, neighbor!
When you get a chance, head over and meet the staff at Brooks in Tupelo. They will be glad to see you, and you will be glad to find some of Mississippi’s best products, foods – and customer service.
I’ll probably see you there.
*Photos are courtesy of Brooks Grocery
