In a farming community that is home to the world’s only Corn Palace, Mitchell, South Dakota, is a town that sets itself apart by hosting visitors from all over the world. Faith Lentz, manager of the Cubby’s at Mitchell West, has a similar philosophy when it comes to operating one of the busiest Cubby’s stores.
Whether it is a family road trip or a daily deli fix, Cubby’s has everything to help a customer on the go. Serving Chester’s Chicken, pizzas, side dishes, and much more, this store sees an average of 300-600 people during lunch alone! Because of their average of over a thousand customers coming through their doors on a given day, the team at Mitchell West is consistently going above and beyond, and people have started to take note. “Even out of state people,” Lentz said, have become repeat customers after only one visit. “That is the type of reputation that we want: we have good customer service, we have what people need, and we have a clean store,” said Lentz.
Using her background as a Private Investigator, Lentz puts her observational skills to good use at Cubby’s daily. “I’m constantly watching people and numbers every day,” she said, and finds it incredibly rewarding to increase her company’s productivity. “When I see that we’ve climbed or taken in new customers,” she said, “that’s what makes it worth it.” They also value any opportunity to go above and beyond for an individual. “We have an elderly lady who comes in here every day that we’ve taken in. Her husband was a highway patrolman and he passed away. Every day he would come in and buy her a hot chocolate. So, when she lost him, she came in and we knew something wasn’t right.” Since then, as a tribute to her husband, Lentz and her team members pay for her daily cocoa. This token of solidarity faith is also extended to members of the military, police officers, and other people in the service industry. Whether it is a fountain drink or a cup of coffee, their drinks are on Cubby’s.
It is this spirit of giving that made the decision easy to honor them as Store of the Month this October. When Lentz received the news of the award, she explained how proud she felt of her team. “It made my whole team feel good,” she said. “We have been working shorthanded, and there have been quite a few of us putting in many hours. It makes us feel like we’re doing something right.”
With a goal-oriented philosophy, Lentz and the team at Cubby’s operate on a simple philosophy: “If you give good customer service, they’ll return.” This means cashiers that smile, staff that are friendly and are going to assist with whatever it is that you can think of. Lentz said, “I ask myself, ‘how can we make this next customer happy and want to come back?’ That’s an everyday goal for me.”
If you are looking for a friendly, full-service spot to stop for lunch, visit the team at Cubby’s Mitchell West!