2021 Retailer of the Year The Golden Rule remains guiding force

Not afraid to take risks, company has remained at forefront of innovation

The history of Coborn’s Inc. is one of upbringing and extensive trials and lessons learned, all of which have propelled aggressive growth and transformation.

Ever since the Coborn family planted roots in Sauk Rapids, Minnesota, it has nurtured a vision driven by values grounded in a concern for the broader community, according to the company’s history book, “Behind the Store Shelves.” This ongoing tradition is upheld by “Coborn’s Golden Rule – treat all with dignity and respect.”

Chester A. Coborn opened his first store in 1921.

“Since beginning as a small produce market, the company has mushroomed into a multi-site supermarket, liquor and convenience retailer and an industry leader,” per the company’s website. “A Coborn’s paycheck supports nearly 8,000 employees in communities throughout six states.”

Chester A. committed early to taking an unconventional approach with the store and published his business policy for 1922 in the local newspaper. He was committed to buying his goods for the best possible price and passing along the savings to his customers. He made this public pledge: “To sell those groceries to our customers at reduced prices that allow us a smaller margin of profit than has ever before been done.”

The Coborn family built a tradition of helping neighbors. This became readily apparent during the Great Depression, when many did not have enough money to buy food. In

1929, sons, Chester C. (known as Chet) and Duke took over the business after the death of their father.

The Coborn brothers, extended credit to all customers and asked them to pay their bills as resources became available, carrying on their father’s legacy. “They didn’t want people to go without food,” recalled Duke’s son, Dan Coborn.

Per the history book, “During its first two decades in business, Coborn’s expanded in size and selection beyond what was common for grocers at the time. The growth and changes were driven as much by economic necessity and survival as it was the Coborn family’s commitment to ingenuity.”

With families regaining their footing in 1941, Duke initiated plans for a major expansion that would double the store’s size.

“He also brought in new checkout counters and introduced the first shopping carts at the store,” the book reads. “A pioneer in the grocery industry, he became the first to sell homemade sausage and operated one of the two main meat processing plants in the area.”

His strong relationships with farmers often made him the first call, especially for processing sought-after veal. Coborn’s also had become a supplier in the meat business –processing and selling meat to other area markets.

Duke had four sons – Bob, Dan, Bill and Ron – who began running the business after he passed away in 1959. Dan led the company for most of the 20th century, serving as CEO until 1999.

As competition increased, Chet and Duke moved their growing grocery store in Sauk Rapids to a larger space across the street and opened Coborn’s Ben Franklin Variety Store in the 1930s. Surviving the Depression showcased the sheer determination of the brothers. It also began to unlock doors of opportunity.

In 1936, Coborn’s was among the first grocers in the nation to add a walk-in cooler and to include a meat market as a part of the business.

Early in 1960, the Coborn brothers began developing a growth strategy. “They based it on market opportunities and demographic studies of niche markets where they believed they could be the dominant grocer,” according to the history book. Nearby communities in Minnesota and surrounding states caught their attention. They sought to expand quickly and believed acquisitions provided the best path.

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