Reasor's Sale is about so Much More than a Grocery Store

The news last week that Reasor's Food Stores were being sold to a bunch unknowns from Texas triggered some thoughts that go way back. I was reminded of a column I had written long ago about the man, Larry Reasor, and what he had brought to the table for the South Grand Lake Community. And even more than that he was all about fun. The column as written in 2013 is as follows:

Remembering Larry Reasor’s Grand Lake Contribution

As I perused an article in the Tulsa World this week about the “Right Stuff at the Right Price” guys, Reasor’s Foods, preparing to commemorate their 50^th anniversary in business, I couldn’t help but be reminded of founder Larry Reasor’s influence on the South Grand Lake area. Old Lady Grand will celebrate her 73^rd anniversary come August of this year, and if memory serves me correctly, Reasor’s Foods has been here propping up the sales tax collections for at least 35 of those years. But his influence went much further than filling the coffers with sales tax dollars to transform the town of Langley.

The first time I ever saw Larry Reasor was in a television commercial on Tulsa’s channel 8, as the guy definitely had a knack for the unusual when it came to marketing his food store operation. The commercial opened with the following statement:

Larry Reasor, outstanding in his field….and the camera panned to an open field and there was Reasor, standing out in the middle of nowhere. I don’t even remember the punch line, but we all know the hook had something to do with shopping at one of his stores…And back in those days, they weren’t on every corner like they are today. It was a sad day when Larry Reasor died at the age of 70 in early 2004 for the Reasor’s family, including all their employees, Grand Lake and many others than the charismatic Reasor came in contact with throughout his life.

I personally became acquainted with Larry after inviting him to join me in being the MC of one of the early day Christmas celebrations near the Pensacola Dam. It was probably during one of my stints as president of the then South Grand Lake Area Chamber of Commerce and we were trying to establish an off-season event to breathe a little life into the December economy. It was bitterly cold that night and area churches were to bus their choirs over to the lake patrol parking lot to sing Christmas Carols as part of the program. Legendary former chamber executive director Barbara Conner was serving hot apple cider for fortification, but ‘ol Larry and yours truly weren’t having anything to do with that. In between the buses transporting the seasonal singers, we would trot over to the then popular Lakeview Supper Club for some fortification….And I’ll never forget how the man handled that night….never a negative word and even had me conned into thinking that’s exactly where he wanted to be.

In his 2004 obituary, Grand Lake is never mentioned, but it was a very special place to Larry Reasor. Not unlike Tulsa Chiropractor Rick Husky, who I have described on more than one occasion as a frustrated musician in a chiropractor’s body, Reasor had a love of music. After he had become a wildly successful grocer and could probably do anything he wanted, he chose to spend a lot of time on Monkey Island performing in a jazz group at Shangri-La in the glory days. I’m told he also got into horse racing and breeding, but he sure seemed to enjoy his new found entertainment career to the max…..But embracing the uncommon, or would that be unheard of, was not unusual for Mr. Reasor as long time Langley store manager Charlie Scott still calls him to this day.

Since Reasor’s relocated from the old metal building, just South of the NAPA store in Langley in the early eighties, I can’t recall a Memorial Day Holiday weekend Larry Reasor couldn’t be found at his Grand Lake store glad handing, sacking, consulting customers on a cut of meat or helping them select the very best possible produce. He wore a name tag, which immediately let the shopper know who he was, but he also stuck out his hand and introduced himself. He left no doubt as to who was the driving force behind the success of Reasor’s. And most of those shoppers came from the metroplex where they had no idea who owned the store where they might normally shop.

He was also there on a majority of other holiday weekends as well doin’ his thing. As the years rolled by and being a regular Reasor’s shopper, I would run into him from time-to-time. It had been years since that memorable and bitterly cold night we had spent together during the Christmas holiday season, but he never forgot and he always greeted me by name. It was a sad day when I learned of his death in 2004.

Larry Reasor would have been 79 years old had he not died from complications from back surgery and a related infection. We’ve witnessed a technology explosion never seen before since his death, but there’s a lot the I-Phone/I-PAD totin’ younger generation could learn from a guy like Larry Reasor….Relationship will never be replaced by gadgets and gigabytes.

I try to avoid going into Reasor’s on a Friday prior to a holiday weekend, but inevitably I will have forgotten something we just have to have for a successful celebration….And when I check out, almost out of habit, I look around as if to say, “Where’s Larry?” Great guy, great lake and great memories.

Congratulations to Jeff Reasor and all the great Reasor’s employees as they celebrate their 50^th anniversary this weekend. According to the Tulsa World, there will be a special section in this weekend’s edition dedicated to the new and old Reasor’s from 50 years gone by.  It’s an American success story with a bit of Grand Lake flavor mixed in for good measure.

See Ya’ Around the Pond!