JCBA Awards Sinclair Foods Business of the Year

JERSEY - The Jersey County Business Association (JCBA) has awarded Sinclair’s Foods its Business of the Year. Sinclair’s Foods was honored with the award at the JCBA’s Virtual Annual Meeting on February 17^th, 2021.

Sinclair’s Foods opened in 1940 and has been suppying Jersey County with their food and essential supplies ever since. Norman Spencer Sinclair began the store and Stanley and his sister Beverley Metzler began doing chores around the store when they were kids. Beverley Metzler remembered that she made 25 cents a week working in the store when she was young. In addition to serving their customers for over 80 years, Sinclair’s Foods was nominated for its outstanding service during the pandemic.

JCBA Chair Tom Smith of the JCH Wellness Center had the privilege of giving Sinclair’s Food their Business of the Year Award. Smith was delighted to honor this Jerseyville Institution. He said, “We are excited to honor Sinclair’s Foods as our Business of the Year. They have been a staple of our community for a long time. But espcecially in 2020, Sinclair’s Foods was vital to Jersey County. Even during a pandemic, they have stayed open, kept their shelves full, and made sure that people have food and supplies.” Smith continued, “They always do it with a smile, and a friendly hometown warmth. Sinclair’s Foods has always been supportive of our community. Stan founded the Pather Atheletic Club and has always been generous to local causes – they are truly a great, supportive community partner.”

The Sinclair Family said that they were honored to be selected as Business of the Year. Stanley Sinclair said, “We are elated to have been chosen by the JCBA. This community has always supported us and the Sinclair family are very grateful to be honored in this way. We have always enjoyed working with our customers, and were thrilled to be nominated by the public. We are so very grateful to our employees, who have enabled us to be as successful as we have been.”

The JCBA Business of the Year is chosen through both public participation and a vote by the JCBA Board of Directors. Director Beth Bear explained that nominations are taken from the public, and then these businesses are invited by the JCBA to return a formal submission, which is then scored by the JCBA Board. Bear explained, ”JCBA Board members are asked to grade submissions against a pre-determined metric, which considers aspects of the business such as community involvement, years in business, and economic impact. If a Board member has any conflict of interest with a business that is nominated, we ask them to recuse themselves from voting. It is a rigorous process, and we work hard to keep this qualitative assessment fair.”

Sinclair’s Foods is Jerseyville’s only family owned grocery store. They are located at 202 Sinclair Drive in Jerseyville, Illinois and are open from 7am – 8pm every day.

The Jersey County Business Association is the Chamber of Commerce for Jersey County and have been since 1955. They are a coalition of approximately 250 area businesses, not-for-profit organizations and individuals who pool their talents and resources to improve the local economic environment. They annually recognize one business as the community’s “Business of the Year”.

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