Camp family acquires Beaver supermarket and retains team of 50 employees

BEAVER ― Beaver Supermarket, the oldest and last independent supermarket of its kind in Beaver County, will continue to serve the heart of the Beaver area community under new, second-generation family ownership.

Kevin Camp, who acquired the business from Mark Ondrusek in July, is the son of the late Willie Camp who owned the market as “Valu King” in the 1970s and ‘80s.

Located in the center of Beaver’s Third Street business district, Beaver Supermarket will retain its 50 employees, many of whom have 20-plus years of experience. The business will maintain its base of meats, produce, dairy foods and dry goods in the same small-town atmosphere. Camp has plans to expand social media platforms to educate customers about what’s available in supply and to pass along updates from wholesalers, according to a press release.

“It’s vital to the community to have a locally owned supermarket,” Camp said. “We have so many senior citizens who rely on a local store because they can’t always travel to the bigger stores which can be too big and confusing to navigate. The store has been part of the fabric of the town for such a long time and is known for doing all the little things that help people. I could never imagine Beaver without it.”

Camp said that not much will change from what customers have come to expect. Among his priorities are to make sure aisles are easy to navigate and that the equipment and shelving are as current as possible. Otherwise, he said, “the store will always have the same feel as it always has.”

Local realtor Edwards McLaughlin of Bovard Anderson Co., who was involved with the ownership transfer, said, “This is so upbeat and positive for our community. I hope we all know how fortunate we are to have the market and that we can actively support Kevin in his continuation of a valuable local asset.”

Camp’s father Willie bought the original Beaver Supermarket from founder Abe Farkas in 1978 and operated it for a decade until 1988. Willie often brought his young son to work.

Remembers Kevin:

"I grew up in the business, I can remember as a child of about age five coming to the store.  My mother would dress me up in a blue suit, and it was off to work with my Dad.  He would have me do miscellaneous tasks on the sales floor, such as cleaning or straightening out product on the shelves or tidying up in the office.  Getting to spend that time with him and seeing him talk with customers and make them laugh. He taught me a lot for all those years, and the important thing was that the business is always about people, customers, employees, and the community, and if we make sure we take care of them the business will come.  He also taught me all the business acumen as well.  He passed away in October of 2017, but all his wisdom, knowledge and passion for the grocery business still goes on."

This article originally appeared on Beaver County Times: Camp family acquires Beaver supermarket and retains team of 50 employees