In her Sunday cover story "The Detwilers built Sarasota's favorite grocery store with love," Herald-Tribune staff writer Samantha Gholar reports on the rise of Detwiler's Farm Market, a family-run grocery store that continues to expand its footprint across Sarasota and Manatee counties.
Here's our Q-and-A with Samantha on Detwiler's remarkable growth and enduring popularity in our community.
Q. How did you approach this story, and what guided your process in reporting it?
I built off what I already knew about the Detwiler family and my exposure to their stores as a customer.
I wanted to show that they are much more than a grocery chain.
Q. What are the biggest takeaways from this story that you hope will stick with readers?
That the Detwilers are
contributing not only to the local grocery scene but to the reginal economy through their small chain of stores.
I also think people should know who is behind the scenes and what they do to create such a wonderful shopping experience.
Q. What’s the next potential chapter in this story?
Awaiting their latest store opening is next.
It will be nice to have another option to shop in that part of town.
Additionally, seeing the next wave of Detwilers take the helm of their family operation and seeing how the future of the company compares to the way they started.
Samantha Gholar is an enterprise journalist with USA TODAY Co. and reports on business, culture and lifestyle for the Sarasota Herald-Tribune.
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This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Behind the story: Samantha Gholar on Detwiler's Farm Market
