MORVEN — Off Valdosta Highway, in a little town called Morven, is a local grocery store called The Crazy Grocer.

What makes the store unique isn’t the items it carries, or even the unique name — which started as a self-proclaimed nickname, that turned into an email address and later stuck as a business name — but the fact that, alone with its mere existence and steady business, The Crazy Grocer represents the hope that so many Americans are wishing to see.

“It’s a cornerstone to a small town,” said owner Tom Randall.

Randall views his grocery store as a meeting place, an entity that serves a social function as well a practical one.

“Everybody in the world has to eat something,” said Randall.

The Crazy Grocer is a small store that plays a big role in a time when opening any kind of business is a risk. Especially when that store has big-name competitors that seem to effortlessly swallow the competition with competitive pricing and variety that smaller, local stores can’t attain. Uniquely, it was out of the rubble of a depleted economy and sky-high prices on just about everything that established the platform for Randall’s success.

“With the price of gas the way it is, a local, small grocery store is a hub,” said Randall.

Randall realized that people in Morven are nearly doubling their grocery bill by having to drive in and out of town to get groceries. He recognized that his primary angle would be to save customers money by saving their gas. Now, Randall doesn’t have a fancy business-management degree from Harvard or the University of Georgia, but he does have an old-fashioned American work ethic that can trump a piece of expensive paper.

Tom has about 30 years of experience in the grocery business. In the 1960s, his father managed an A&P in Atlanta that he and his brother, Gary, frequented.

“We tried to work there when dad was down there,” said Randall.

As Randall got old enough to work, his father got him a job at Piggly Wiggly in Cairo.

“I was a bag boy,” said Randall.

Randall previously owned a store in Moultrie and also used to work at a Super Food Champ that his brother owned. Super Food Champ was sold to another owner who had it for about 12 years. When the store became available again, Randall purchased it. On Sept. 19, 2011, Morven soon knew the location as The Crazy Grocer.

“The grocery business is all I’ve ever done. That’s the only thing I know,” said Randall.

Randall’s store steadily grew. First came the grocery section and then, in November, he added gas pumps and remodeled a second half of the store with coolers, lottery tickets an ATM and a cashier for gas in late May.

“That’s when I actually got it fully open,” said Randall.

Randall refurbished all of the equipment and replaced pivotal equipment such as the refrigerator.

“Everything is all brand new,” said Randall.

When talking to Randall, you may notice that he is patriotic. There’s even a small American flag out in front of his store. From 1979 until 1985, Randall served in the Army as a mechanic.

“I was in charge of a squad that went out and fixed vehicles,” said Randall.

In the military, Randall learned precision, consistency and the practice of ethics which he utilizes in his store.

“The consumer in this town is overjoyed to see a sanitary, clean store that they can trust to shop in,” said Randall.

While Randall doesn’t have 50-some-odd aisles of merchandise, he does have a store full of local, honest people and locally grown produce.

“Our money stays right here in this town,” said Randall.

Aside from recognizing the spike in gas prices, Randall recognized another key factor that was missing in a lot of businesses today ... customer service.

“Customer service is the key this day and age,” said Randall. “Here, you’re not just another number. You’re a name.”

All of The Crazy Grocer employees, including himself, have a personal relationship with the customers.

While shopping at The Crazy Grocer, customers can expect a smile, and expect fresh meat and produce.

“We use fresh-cut meat and fresh produce,” said Randall. “They are labor-produced items, not pre-packaged.”

This is another way which Randall saves his customers money. Because the meat and produce are fresh and local, there isn’t an additional cost because of gas and shipping. However, Randall reiterated that price isn’t everything.

“Low prices do have something to do with business, but it doesn’t have everything to do with it,” said Randall.



The Crazy Grocer is located at 8270 Valdosta Highway, Morven. It is open 8 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday.