Bringing new business to Mat-Su

Trudy Visker has worn many hats during her lifetime. A self-proclaimed shop-a-holic, this mother, grandmother, wife and businesswoman hasn't minded 'purchasing each new hat' while taking on a new challenge. Two years ago, Visker decided to add one more hat to the collection, a retail foods warehouse store owner.

"I did almost everything except sell by grandbabies to get this store," said Visker of her newly built store, Alaska Premium Food Source. "So far, I've gotten a 'you go girl' response from the shoppers."

Visker isn't a stranger to the food service industry. For fifteen years she has run her other business, Northwest Foods, which provides bulk quantities to large entities in the state like the Matanuska-Sustina Borough School District and the Department of Corrections. Northwest Foods brings in multi-million dollar revenue each year, but Visker was unable to use that revenue to build her new business, due to the fact that her business partner passed away shortly after Visker decided to start a store in the Valley.

Leaping over the unforeseen financial obstacles, Visker borrowed from friends and family, convinced her building contractor to build as an investor, and opened her doors on May 31 of this year. Her grand opening, complete with pony rides and a drawing for a trip for two to Mexico, happened yesterday. Visker believes her store's success so far has been because of her low prices and accessibility to shoppers in the Valley.

"The products may be plain labeled, but it's all packed by the same packers that package brand names like Jolly Green Giant," Visker said. "I want to keep the overhead down and the profit margin low to get people in the store. I'd rather make money by volume than by stripping the customers of their funds."

Visker wants to remind shoppers that the generic brands she sells are still high quality. The frozen produce is labeled Grade A Fancy, as opposed to Grade B, which is sold in some other warehouse stores. Right now, Visker gets most of her items from places like Costco, but has a plan in progress that would allow her to directly buy the product overrun (the stuff left over after places like Costco pick up its order) and she plans to charge less for some items than Anchorage food warehouses charge now. According to a visibility study done by Visker, right now an average customer would spend $150 at Costco and $176 at Alaska Premium Food Source for the same amount of food. Add the cost of gas and time to the Costco trip, and Visker is sure that many Valley residents will shop locally, even before she brings in the product overrun items. Visker said another plus of her store is that, unlike Costco, she is able to take food stamps for items purchased at the store.

Visker said that just like Northwest Foods, this business will always be forever changing. In the two weeks she has been open, she has already made numerous changes from suggestions made on comment cards she has available in the store.

"I'm improving until I get it right," she said.

Having quality employees is Vicker's final way to ensure that her business thrives in the Valley. She researched what cashiers are making in other stores in the Valley and offers a higher rate of pay for her 17 workers. She also said she has made it this far in business because she treats her employees with respect and dignity.

"I would never ask an employee to do something I wouldn't do myself," said Visker, who had changed into jeans the night before and helped some of the stockers rearrange part of the frozen food section. "I want my employees to be proud that they work here."