A new helpful smile in the aisle

It was a whirlwind week for Newton Hy-Vee Store Director Scott Pearson when he found out he got the job.

Pearson had just graduated from a program through Hy-Vee and he and his wife were due to have a baby five days later when he got the call that they’d be heading to Newton.

“I bought a house, sold a house, had a baby, got a new job. A lot of life changes, a lot going on,” Pearson said. “I am excited to be here. It has been great, everybody has welcomed me with open arms.”

Pearson came to Newton after working at Hy-Vee stores in Ankeny and Urbandale. There, he served in several positions including assistant manager of grocery, assistant manager of perishables, manager of perishables and manager of store operations.

“I’ve been with Hy-Vee for a little more than seven years,” Pearson said.

He also recently completed a three-part training program through Hy-Vee University. In the program, Pearson took courses in retail services, business leadership and retail operation.

“I had just graduated the week before I got this job,” Pearson said. “They must have seen something good in me that led them to believe I could run this store.”

Prior to working at Hy-Vee, Pearson was in the restaurant industry after receiving a degree in restaurant management from Iowa State University.

“Restaurants is what I thought I wanted to do but I realized after about six or seven years that it wasn’t the route I wanted to take,” Pearson said. “I think the restaurant industry has definitely helped get me into this, a passion for food and customer service, that Hy-Vee prides itself on.”

Since arriving in Newton, Pearson has hit the ground running. He is working to get caught up on the day-to-day operations of the store along with where the store is going in the future.

“The staff has been great. They have helped guide me,” Pearson said. “A lot of them have been here for 10, 20, 30 and even 40 years so I lean on them a lot to help guide on things that I need to know.”

Pearson has also had a warm welcome from customers and those who frequent the grocery store.

“It seems like everybody wants to meet the new Hy-Vee director,” Pearson said. “I try to make myself available and be out on the floor as much as possible. I always stop in the restaurant in the morning to catch up with the regulars who are coming in for coffee.”

Pearson is already looking to the future of the store with new events and promotions planned for the coming months. Currently, a new red Ford F150 truck is sitting in front of the building ready to go home with a lucky Fuel Saver winner.

“We will be giving that away to a Newton Hy-Vee shopper,” Pearson said. “The only way you can get it is my swiping your Fuel Saver card. As many times as you swipe your card you get entered in.”

Additional promotions include a giveaway of $100 gift cards during the week of Sept. 12 and the giveaway of $500 grills the week of Sept. 19. Both giveaways are entered through Fuel Saver card swipes and shoppers can be entered multiple times.

Also in the works, Pearson said, is hot sandwiches and pastries will being added to the menu at Starbucks and the store is looking to bring back sushi full time.

“We’re looking to have that year round, seven days a week,” Pearson said.

Another addition to the store is Red Pride Night on Fridays from 7:30 p.m. to midnight in the Market Cafe. During that time, 10 percent of the sales in the cafe will go to the Newton Booster Club.

“If they are coming after the game, we are staying open late and having a little fun while donating to the Boosters,” Pearson said. “Also, during away games we will have the games playing on the televisions.”

With only a few weeks under his belt, Pearson has already made an impact in Newton and hopes to continue long into the future.

“The first thing I said when I met my staff was, let’s make sure we have some fun while we’re here,” Pearson said. “Life’s too short to not be happy while you are at work. Laughter is the best sound to hear in a store and smiles go a long way, and they are free.”

Contact Jamee A. Pierson at 641-792-3121 ext. 6534 or jpierson@newtondailynews.com