Q&A With Ben’s Meat & Deli
I had the chance to speak to Dave from Ben's Meat & Deli, the third generation in the family owned business. Dave shared with me his unique story - explaining the origin of Ben’s Meat & Deli and how it came into fruition along Stony Plain Road.
What brought you to Stony Plain Road?
My Grandfather Ben Van Soest started this business in 1953 in the town of Jasper Place right on Stony Plain Road out of an old house. He literally worked out of a living room with living quarters in the back for three years and then built this building over the top of it in 1956. There is a lot of history behind it! We’ve been here forever, that's what I like to say. Stony Plain Road was developed around us. It’s been established that we are the longest family owned business along Stony Plain Road.
What do you enjoy most about working within our community?
The people. I feel very comfortable working here because I’ve been here so long, I’ve been working here part time and full time for 35 years - it feels like home!
How have you adapted to COVID-19 and what types of changes have you had to make?
We had to ensure that we were adhering to all COVID-19 health and safety protocols, We started offering curbside pickup for people. The curbside pick up was a big adjustment for us, having to switch our payment method to e-transfer, taking orders over the phone - it’s a lot of work.
What advice would you give to other businesses within our area that may be struggling during the pandemic?
My advice to businesses within our community would be to continue giving your loyal customers the best service you can. Don’t skip on service. Friendliness and service are some ways that you can stand out within a competitive environment. You have to give your customers something that they are not getting somewhere else - and a lot of times that happens to be service. Some people just want to make it simpler and easier because it is less of a pain due to COVID, but I think prioritizing service is what’s most important during times like this.
If your SPR business would like to be featured in the future, please contact:
Ben's Meats & Deli is located at 15726 Stony Plain Road.
Website: http://www.bensmeats.com/
Phone: 780.489.1424