No Receipt Needed: “Lettuce” reflect on the Ransom’s last 48 years

Back row: Peggie Ransom, Pattie Ransom-Bell, Pennie Ransom-Ward Ken Ransom, Kyle Ransom. Front row: Uncle Lloyd, Leona Ransom, John Ransom.

The closing of Ransom’s in the heart of the Stockbridge community represents the end of an era. In its heyday, Ransom’s flourished and the family behind the name left an indelible mark on the community. Over the next few months, the Stockbridge Community News will feature the reflections of Pennie Ransom-Ward who worked at the store from childhood right up until the store closed. This story represents part one.

by Pennie Ransom-Ward

As most of the community family and friends of Stockbridge have probably noticed, the doors have been permanently closed at Ransom’s Food Center, and the store has been put up for sale.

Now would be a good time to back up 48 years to a time when John and Leona Ransom came to Stockbridge with their five children and opened their doors to many of you in this small village. They worked many hours, seven days a week at Ransom’s, although there was a period of time back then when businesses were closed on Sunday, and we could all sit around family tables for dinner.  That didn’t happen much considering the store opened at 8 a.m. and closed at 9 p.m., with no such thing as a standard lunch hour or a family vacation.

We have so many good memories and sure we also recollect some trying times and unusual stories, like customers who would sometimes forget and leave their pocketbooks on top of the car or on the back bumper and then drive off. Dad or Mom would call to let them know all their cash and personal items were safe. Likewise, customers would occasionally leave a carton of eggs on the roof while unlocking the car door only to forget and drive off as eggs flew all over. Dad or Mom would just tell the customer to go and grab another dozen.

Many young people came through Ransom’s door and ended up working there. Then there was the older crew: God bless Dick Ashmore, Bill Stanfield, Fred Nelson, and many more of the retired guys who would bag groceries and work in other areas of the store.  It brings a smile to recall the day a truck driver got stuck behind the store. The driver said, “I have covered many miles of ground and this has never happened before,” to which good old Fred Nelson said, “I guess you should not have covered this piece of ground!”

I’ve worked at the store since I was ten or maybe twelve, and I was still there until closing day November 9, 2019. After all, if you are going to work, you may as well start out the correct way. My Dad always followed the laws and is still a straight shooter, and all who ever had a conversation with him or worked at Ransom’s  knew that. Through the years, many people would come in short on money and Dad or Mom would say, “Get what you need to feed your family and pay us back when you can.” If banks were closed when people got off work, Dad and Mom would always cash paychecks. I think they cashed more paychecks than the bank did!

If you are fortunate enough to enjoy the upcoming holidays with family, consider that Mom and Dad only closed four days a year! Many holidays, Dad would have to leave to make sure all the cases at the store were functioning. I think every grandchild was raised at the store, either sitting at their mom’s feet as she was cashing out customers or sleeping in a grocery cart.

Stay tuned for more Ransom memories in the January edition of Stockbridge Community News.