John, Lenard, Josephine, Joseph Sr. and Joseph Jr. Picone all worked in the family business
Joseph Picone Sr.'s tale is typical of many Italian immigrants who came to Canada a century ago.
"Coming from an Italian heritage, working with the land was something he had experience with," says his granddaughter Lisa Picone.
He sold vegetables door-to-door until 1915, when he opened Picone's Food Market at 34 King Street West in Dundas, Ont., which is now a part of Hamilton. The shop sold his own produce and items from other local farmers.
A hundred years later, the market has evolved into Picone Fine Food, operated by three of Joseph Sr.'s granddaughters: Lisa and her sisters Sharon and Theresa. The store still sells locally grown fruits and vegetables as well artisan breads, meats, imported pastas and olive oils, and foods prepared in house, such as quiches, pastas, salads and desserts.
Even after the Picone sisters' father, Joseph Jr., bought the business from his parents in the late 1970s, the elder Picone remained involved in the store until he was in his late 80s.
Ms. Picone and her seven siblings grew up working at the store. "That's the nature of small business," she says. "It's hands-on and it becomes who you are. When it gets in you, it gets in you."
When their father died in 1989, the loss rocked the family and their mother, Elsie, carried on with the store. Over time, Sharon, Theresa and Lisa returned to the business after pursuing other careers.
"All through those years and having been part of the store, I missed not working there," Ms. Picone says. She was the last to return to the business a dozen years ago after working with special needs clients and in gerontology. Their mother continued working with the girls until shortly before her death in 2013 at age 84.
"Mom was a huge part of the business, noted for her personality and amazing ability to cook and bake," says Ms. Picone. "She brought homemade foods to the store and her pies and quiches were signature items. As time passed, we carried that on."
Although the store has changed over time, the original tin ceiling and some shelving remain. And it's still small, with six employees other than the Picone sisters.
The advent of supermarkets and big box stores posed a threat to small independent food shops like theirs, but Ms. Picone says the family business survived because of the quality of its products and the personal service it offers. In the late '80s, it started importing products from Europe and has always strived to maintain excellent customer service.
"We are so small, so something has to set us apart," Ms. Picone says. "Our grandfather was great at building relationships and created a strong and fundamental foundation of those connections. It's key to our business."
Picone has kept in tune with current food trends. It carries products from local and organic farms and small culinary artisans, as well as raw food, vegan and non-GMO specialties. It also has wheat-free, gluten-free, dairy-free and ethnic foods such as Japanese, Indian and kosher.
Clients are fiercely loyal and some come from an hour or more away.
"Once people come in, they are hooked," says Ms. Picone. "Not long ago, I was working in our bread window and a man in a café across the street saw me and I waved. He came in and although he's from Toronto, he's a regular now.
"You will likely see all three of us in the store on any given day and that keeps people coming back. You become part of our family when you walk through the door."
Picone's deep involvement in the community has helped foster customer loyalty and strong relationships. The store sponsors the annual Dundas Art Studio Tours and supports other arts initiatives. Elsie Picone was a founding member and volunteer for Dundas Community Services organization. For 40 years, Picone has supplied daily food donations to the Good Shepherd Centre in Hamilton for the homeless. It supports several other organizations and sponsors sports teams and arts programs for youth.
The changing economy is one of the business's biggest challenges, says Ms. Picone. When local fruits and vegetables aren't in season, they have to import them, mainly from the U.S., and prices have increased.
Weather is also a factor, not only because it affects their grower suppliers. Dundas has gained a reputation as a walkable town and as a small food mecca. Ms. Picone says people will often walk a route between the butcher shop, cheese shop and their store, but during cold winters such as the past one, foot traffic decreases.
With three sisters working together, conflicts do arise, acknowledges Ms. Picone. "But we're small so there's not a lot of time afforded to stay in disagreement. We move through things quickly and we know one another well. It's about talking it through, deciding what you can live with, what can't you and what the compromise is."
She says they all are mindful of the unique opportunity they've had to continue a business that started 100 years ago that is still viable.
"Reaching 100 years was definitely a goal and meeting that mark has been a huge accomplishment," says Ms. Picone. "We're incredibly grateful."
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