Third generation takes reins at Blair's Market in Worland

WORLAND - Blair's Market in Worland officially moves to its third-generation ownership this week with the change in ownership to Sha and Brandon Yule as SBY Plus Inc.

Blair's Market was started in 1980 when Blair and Norene Foulger purchased Max's Supermarket in Powell. In an interview in 2018, Kent Foulger, Blair's son, said the organization first involved his dad, mom and sister. He joined the organization in 1981 and his twin brother Brent joined in 1982.

In 1987, Blair's Market purchased the Wea Supermarket in Cody and Brent managed the store. The family closed the store in 1997 when they lost the lease and Albertson's took over the building.

In 1996 they built a new 36,000 square foot store in Powell.

In 1997 Blair decided to retire and sold the corporation to his sons, Brent and Kent.

The Worland store, 26,000 square feet, was constructed in 1999.

"It took us a long time to come down here. We investigated it for about five years. Once we made the decision my wife and I chose to bring our daughters down here," Kent Foulger said.

In 2008, Blair's purchased Consumer's in Thermopolis with a promise to the manager that they would offer the store to him after 10 years. They sold the store in April 2018.

In 2016, the Foulgers' purchased Ron's Food Farm in Greybull and did a complete remodel and addition. That store was sold in 2019.

Kent and Brent retired in 2020 with Sha and Brandon Yule operating the store in Worland and Jason Foulger, Brent's son, operating the Powell store.

Sha said she began working at the store at the age of 13, working in many facets at the store including stocking, checking and now bookkeeping.

She said while at the age of 13 she didn't know she wanted to continue the family legacy it happened over time.

"It was wanting the legacy to continue. I watched what my grandpa built. I watched what my dad built," she said, adding that she realized that they had worked their whole lives putting a lot of effort into the stores. She said she also knew it was a good business.

She got an associate's degree in business and then did an internship under Tim Surat to learn all the managerial duties. "After that I jumped in with both feet and said this is what I want to do."

High school sweethearts Brandon and Sha got married in 2007. Brandon completed two deployments to the Middle East with the National Guard. Brandon said that in 2010 after his second deployment he decided, "I wanted to support my wife in the grocery industry."

He said about six months after he started Kent Foulger sat Brandon down and asked him if working at and some day running the store was what he wanted. "I told him yep and haven't looked back since."

Sha and Brandon worked side by side with Kent starting about 10 years ago and five years ago started working with Kent working more in the background.

"We've been operating the store since his retirement in 2020," they said. Friday is the official transfer of ownership.

Brandon said, "Our intent is to continue the legacy that Blair's has stood for since 1980, 42 years." Sha added that the legacy is family values and supporting the community.

Kent Foulger said, he wanted to thank the community of Worland for their support and patronage for the past 22 years. "This has become our home and it's been a pleasure to be a part of the community and to support the community. I'm looking forward to Blair's 3.0 (third generation)."

As for the family legacy, Sha said their sons, Corbin, 10, and Terek, 7, have already been helping at the store, coming down in the past to help grandpa stock shelves and they help clean.

"We're excited to do everything we can to take care of the needs of the community," the Yules said. "We take pride in being community-centered and we are dedicated to serving this community."

The store is fully staffed and will remain that way with Brandon and Sha noting they are fortunate to have some long-term employees, some with more than 10 years experience and some with more than 20 years experience.

Sha said as a family business employees are considered family.

CHANGES

With the new ownership won't come a lot of changes for customers. The Yules said they will continue to be innovative and offer new things as they become available.

Over the past 10 years they have had input in the changes the store has been through and were excited to be able to offer the online shopping, Blair's On The Go, which was launched during the pandemic and has provided many customers an opportunity to have a more hands-off shopping experience.

The one change throughout this year that customers will notice is fewer print advertisements available at the store and inserted in the Northern Wyoming News. Eventually, possibly as soon as next year, the printed fliers will be phased out all together.

Brandon and Sha have invested in two digital, interactive kiosks placed inside the store where people can scan the digital flier. It is also available on the Blair's App and on their website.

Brandon said the change is coming from the industry as they look to cut costs to be able to provide more products in the store. Print costs continue to rise with paper and ink seeing increases in the past year.

They will increase their store signage so customers will know what is on sale.