Next week is a momentous one in the history of the Clan of Cronig, Vineyard Haven, the thirty-fifth anniversary of the founding of the market business by the elder of the family, Sam Cronig.
Cronig Bros. have acquired a grocery store on wheels, a Reo truck with a large and impressive body painted brown and housing a store of no mean dimensions. If you meet it on the road you are likely to mistake it for one of the houses which are always hunting new homes on the Vineyard.
Cronig Brothers Market, Vineyard Haven, entering upon its thrity-ninth year, now becomes Cronig Brothers, Inc., with the active management passing officially into the hands of the second generation, namely two of the sons of the senior partner, S. David and Robert Cronig, who have worked with and for their father, Samuel, for years.
On any given day the owner of Cronig’s Markets can be found sweeping the parking lot of his stores, pulling bull briar and poison ivy at Thimble Farm or expanding his myriad evolving business interests. Steve Bernier says at heart he is just an old-fashioned entrepreneur.
Starting soon, Cronig's markets will offer an eco-friendly bagging alternative at the check-out counter: polypropylene shopping bags.
Cronig's bought 5,000 of the bags from 1 Bag at a Time, a company started last year by Aquinnah summer resident Lisa Foster.
"We're hoping that eventually we'll be using less of the paper bags," Cronig's general manager Sarah McKay said. "That will be cost saving for us, but also refuse saving for the Island - less will be ending up at the recycling center or the dump."
Summer shoppers seeking shade may be able to do so this summer while powering up. Vineyard Power hopes to install a 12,200 square foot array of solar panels over the Vineyard Haven Cronig’s parking lot. The array, which will supply a quarter of the store’s energy needs, is made up of three “solar canopies,” which will also feature six electric car charging stations.
