So I am Christy.

I am an accountant by, I guess, trade or education.

So I have an undergrad in accounting and MBA and then I have agent status with the IRS.

I possibly got a little bored doing taxes, so we branched out, started a few different stores to help my creative outlet, and I still do accounting and taxes on the side.

So my position at Myers Market is just helping out the team in any way they can.

I love bringing things to the stores that make people smile.

I also like to encourage any of my employees that want a future in owning a business or entrepreneurial ship, an outlet to maybe start that without as much risk as having their own storefront so we can touch on the micro-business later.

But that would be one of the versions of that.

I like to describe Meier's market as a modern day general store.

We opened in Auburn Noster six years ago in November and then three years ago this past June.

Here we kind of just have a little bit of everything.

We have bought candy, ice cream toys this some groceries are provided.

The things you don't think you need on a daily basis.

You come in and you'll find a fun gift here.

So the idea originated in probably 2016.

I had an accounting office in our little town of Knob Noster, and I would sit and stare out the window and just watch people drive through our little downtown.

And at that point, there was no grocery store.

There really isn't one still.

Dollar General now provides produce, so I thought I'd start a little market where you can just grab a tomato or a gallon of milk like those ones into items that was holding up dinner.

And you don't want to go all the way to Warrensburg.

And then from there I just expanded because if I have groceries, you know, I need bulk candy and then I need toys and then I need gifts.

So it just turned into a little market.

So the more you can do to help like other people will not have, you know, added stress, then, you know, you've done your job.

I think my favorite story to tell people is the day that we opened and it was Shop Small Saturday in 17 and these three boys, probably 10 to 12, rode up on their bikes, threw their bikes down on the sidewalk, came in, got bought candy, paid with change, got back on their bikes and rode away.

And I was like, That was what I wanted to get out of the store.

It was just that old general store feel.

So I would classify them in you just as like a generic, like little deli.

We've got paninis, hummus platters, smoothies, bowls, of course, ice cream.

About a year and a half ago, we started making our own boozy ice cream as well.

The regular ice cream we just get from central dairy industry.

It's a staple of Missouri, but the boozy we do make here.

So most of ours is prepared here, I mean, outside of ice cream.

But like smoothie, as I the hummus, like, I mean, a lot of it, too.

Like a sandwich.

You're just going to you don't cook it.

You just prepare it, right?

Put it together.

But as far as, like employees taking reins, I've got some employees that started trivia nights a year ago and they've really gained a following with trivia nights.

And it's after hours every other Friday, and they'll do themed drinks with it.

And then they're also the ones that kind of once I exited with my clothes, they came in with their micro-business because they had a desire to do like a bookstore bar, like coffee bar, bookstore, like the three best things, right?

And so that's what we're they're getting going here.

And then they can still provide the drinks the coffee service has.

We have lattes and all that and stuff.

So best of both worlds.

I think my favorite part in general, even though it comes with the ups and downs of owning any of the stores, are the employees.

Over the years I've gained really good friends that way.

I have four kids of my own, so I'm kind of like a mama hen anyways.

So I really encourage like open communication, like we're going to have scuffles.

I mean, you are together this much you're going to, but just, you know, really breeding like positivity and like working together.

And if there's an issue, let's fix it.

I mean, they don't look at me as a boss.

I'm just one of them.

I will come in and play on their level all day long.

And I think that really helps like the whole team.

So yeah, the people I would say the store was voted by the Chamber of Commerce in Martinsburg and Best of Burg, as you know, one of the best places for employees to work, like 15 employees and under so small business.

And that's probably been in six years of owning a business and having employees been the most valuable thing that's happened because you can make people happy with ice cream all day long, but like to know that there's a team and there's people that maybe not every day enjoy coming to work.

But you know, overall in the workplace culture, I've had some really good bosses currently and in my past that are more leaders than bosses that really encourage work life balance, like respecting their employees.

I think employees are always going to be your biggest asset, so you can buy the best ice cream or the best gifts to sell, but your employees are going to really make the business because if you don't treat them well, they're not going to treat your customers well.

And I mean, if a customer comes in and yells at them all day long, I will back my employee.

I feel like when you surround yourself with people that are like minded, other small business owners, other people that want to promote small businesses, you're going to be the best version of you because the more you're around people that want to do good, you're going to be encouraged to also do your best.

If you surround yourself with people that are have similar goals, then everybody's going to do better and.