Leslie A. Walton dies at age 79
By RENEE M.SMITH Sun Staff Writer
The man who built a 27-store chain from one small grocery store in Mt. Pleasant died Friday.
Leslie A. Walton, 79, founder of the Giant Super Market and Giant Family Center chain, died of cancer at Central Michigan Community Hospital.
Mr. Walton, characterized by those who knew him as an "extremely fair individual" and a "very, very astute businessman," started the first Giant Super Market in 1941 on North Main Street in Mt. Pleasant. From there, he formed a chain of 27 supermarkets and department stores across Michigan including Ray's, Midway, Giant and Giantway.
Dick Martin, vice president of sales for Giant, described Mr. Walton as a man who was "very concerned about his fellow man and seeing that everyone was treated fairly."
Mr. Martin said Mr. Walton always was willing to listen to employees.
"He listened to us all...He always made us feel we were part of his decision," he said.
Calling him an "outstanding businessman," Mr. Martin related a story showing Mr. Walton's business acumen.
According to Mr. Martin, employees were once preparing to buy carloads of turkeys to sell in the stores, when Mr. Walton advised his employees to hold off. As the days went by, the price of turkeys went higher and higher, but Mr. Walton still waited. Then one day Mr. Walton told his employees, that they would buy the turkeys the next day. The very next morning, the price of turkeys dropped drastically, Mr. Martin said, and Giant was able to purchase them at prices well below those its competitors had paid.
"To my dying day, I won't know how he knew that", Mr. Martin said. "He had that sixth sense that told him when to buy things and when not to."
Mr. Martin said Mr. Walton opened his first store after working for the A&P chain and deciding there were many things he could do better.
Shirley Martin corporate secretary for Giant, said she began working in Mr. Walton's original store during World War II.
In his first store, cigar boxes were used by cashiers and Walton used a fishing tackle box in his office to hold the money taken in, she said.
Mrs. Decker said Mr. Walton's mother had opened a little grocery store in Flint and Mr. Walton had helped her in the store even as a child.
"He worked in that store helping her ... and just kept on in the grocery business," she said.
(Morning Sun - June 30, 1986)
∼
Leslie A. Walton
4 Jan 1907 – 27 Jun 1986
Leslie A. Walton, 79, of Mt. Pleasant and formerly of Alma died Friday, June 27, 1986, at Central Michigan Community Hospital in Mt. Pleasant.
Services are scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Sunday at the Stinson-Helms Funeral Home in Mt. Pleasant with the Rev. Richard Anderson of St. John's Episcopal Church in Aima officiating. Burial will be at Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Mt. Pleasant. Memorial contributions may be made to the Isabella County Cancer Society.
Mr. Walton was born Jan. 5, 1907, in Midland. He married Mildred Neville on April 3, 1927, in Pontiac.
He was the retired chairman of the board of Giant Super Markets and Giantway Family Centers and was a member of the Food Marketing Institute and a member of the Mass Merchandisers Institute.
He opened the first Giant Super Market in 1941 on North Main Street in Mt. Pleasant, and he was an honorary member of the Elks Lodge in Alma and a former member of the Alma Lions Club.
Mr. Walton is survived by his wife, Mildred; a son, Richard of Mt. Pleasant; a brother, Wilnie of Midland; and four grandchildren.
(Morning Sun - June 30, 1986)
By RENEE M.SMITH Sun Staff Writer
The man who built a 27-store chain from one small grocery store in Mt. Pleasant died Friday.
Leslie A. Walton, 79, founder of the Giant Super Market and Giant Family Center chain, died of cancer at Central Michigan Community Hospital.
Mr. Walton, characterized by those who knew him as an "extremely fair individual" and a "very, very astute businessman," started the first Giant Super Market in 1941 on North Main Street in Mt. Pleasant. From there, he formed a chain of 27 supermarkets and department stores across Michigan including Ray's, Midway, Giant and Giantway.
Dick Martin, vice president of sales for Giant, described Mr. Walton as a man who was "very concerned about his fellow man and seeing that everyone was treated fairly."
Mr. Martin said Mr. Walton always was willing to listen to employees.
"He listened to us all...He always made us feel we were part of his decision," he said.
Calling him an "outstanding businessman," Mr. Martin related a story showing Mr. Walton's business acumen.
According to Mr. Martin, employees were once preparing to buy carloads of turkeys to sell in the stores, when Mr. Walton advised his employees to hold off. As the days went by, the price of turkeys went higher and higher, but Mr. Walton still waited. Then one day Mr. Walton told his employees, that they would buy the turkeys the next day. The very next morning, the price of turkeys dropped drastically, Mr. Martin said, and Giant was able to purchase them at prices well below those its competitors had paid.
"To my dying day, I won't know how he knew that", Mr. Martin said. "He had that sixth sense that told him when to buy things and when not to."
Mr. Martin said Mr. Walton opened his first store after working for the A&P chain and deciding there were many things he could do better.
Shirley Martin corporate secretary for Giant, said she began working in Mr. Walton's original store during World War II.
In his first store, cigar boxes were used by cashiers and Walton used a fishing tackle box in his office to hold the money taken in, she said.
Mrs. Decker said Mr. Walton's mother had opened a little grocery store in Flint and Mr. Walton had helped her in the store even as a child.
"He worked in that store helping her ... and just kept on in the grocery business," she said.
(Morning Sun - June 30, 1986)
∼
Leslie A. Walton
4 Jan 1907 – 27 Jun 1986
Leslie A. Walton, 79, of Mt. Pleasant and formerly of Alma died Friday, June 27, 1986, at Central Michigan Community Hospital in Mt. Pleasant.
Services are scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Sunday at the Stinson-Helms Funeral Home in Mt. Pleasant with the Rev. Richard Anderson of St. John's Episcopal Church in Aima officiating. Burial will be at Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Mt. Pleasant. Memorial contributions may be made to the Isabella County Cancer Society.
Mr. Walton was born Jan. 5, 1907, in Midland. He married Mildred Neville on April 3, 1927, in Pontiac.
He was the retired chairman of the board of Giant Super Markets and Giantway Family Centers and was a member of the Food Marketing Institute and a member of the Mass Merchandisers Institute.
He opened the first Giant Super Market in 1941 on North Main Street in Mt. Pleasant, and he was an honorary member of the Elks Lodge in Alma and a former member of the Alma Lions Club.
Mr. Walton is survived by his wife, Mildred; a son, Richard of Mt. Pleasant; a brother, Wilnie of Midland; and four grandchildren.
(Morning Sun - June 30, 1986)
Leslie A. Walton dies at age 79
By RENEE M.SMITH Sun Staff Writer
The man who built a 27-store chain from one small grocery store in Mt. Pleasant died Friday.
Leslie A. Walton, 79, founder of the Giant Super Market and Giant Family Center chain, died of cancer at Central Michigan Community Hospital.
Mr. Walton, characterized by those who knew him as an "extremely fair individual" and a "very, very astute businessman," started the first Giant Super Market in 1941 on North Main Street in Mt. Pleasant. From there, he formed a chain of 27 supermarkets and department stores across Michigan including Ray's, Midway, Giant and Giantway.
Dick Martin, vice president of sales for Giant, described Mr. Walton as a man who was "very concerned about his fellow man and seeing that everyone was treated fairly."
Mr. Martin said Mr. Walton always was willing to listen to employees.
"He listened to us all...He always made us feel we were part of his decision," he said.
Calling him an "outstanding businessman," Mr. Martin related a story showing Mr. Walton's business acumen.
According to Mr. Martin, employees were once preparing to buy carloads of turkeys to sell in the stores, when Mr. Walton advised his employees to hold off. As the days went by, the price of turkeys went higher and higher, but Mr. Walton still waited. Then one day Mr. Walton told his employees, that they would buy the turkeys the next day. The very next morning, the price of turkeys dropped drastically, Mr. Martin said, and Giant was able to purchase them at prices well below those its competitors had paid.
"To my dying day, I won't know how he knew that", Mr. Martin said. "He had that sixth sense that told him when to buy things and when not to."
Mr. Martin said Mr. Walton opened his first store after working for the A&P chain and deciding there were many things he could do better.
Shirley Martin corporate secretary for Giant, said she began working in Mr. Walton's original store during World War II.
In his first store, cigar boxes were used by cashiers and Walton used a fishing tackle box in his office to hold the money taken in, she said.
Mrs. Decker said Mr. Walton's mother had opened a little grocery store in Flint and Mr. Walton had helped her in the store even as a child.
"He worked in that store helping her ... and just kept on in the grocery business," she said.
(Morning Sun - June 30, 1986)
∼
Leslie A. Walton
4 Jan 1907 – 27 Jun 1986
Leslie A. Walton, 79, of Mt. Pleasant and formerly of Alma died Friday, June 27, 1986, at Central Michigan Community Hospital in Mt. Pleasant.
Services are scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Sunday at the Stinson-Helms Funeral Home in Mt. Pleasant with the Rev. Richard Anderson of St. John's Episcopal Church in Aima officiating. Burial will be at Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Mt. Pleasant. Memorial contributions may be made to the Isabella County Cancer Society.
Mr. Walton was born Jan. 5, 1907, in Midland. He married Mildred Neville on April 3, 1927, in Pontiac.
He was the retired chairman of the board of Giant Super Markets and Giantway Family Centers and was a member of the Food Marketing Institute and a member of the Mass Merchandisers Institute.
He opened the first Giant Super Market in 1941 on North Main Street in Mt. Pleasant, and he was an honorary member of the Elks Lodge in Alma and a former member of the Alma Lions Club.
Mr. Walton is survived by his wife, Mildred; a son, Richard of Mt. Pleasant; a brother, Wilnie of Midland; and four grandchildren.
(Morning Sun - June 30, 1986)
By RENEE M.SMITH Sun Staff Writer
The man who built a 27-store chain from one small grocery store in Mt. Pleasant died Friday.
Leslie A. Walton, 79, founder of the Giant Super Market and Giant Family Center chain, died of cancer at Central Michigan Community Hospital.
Mr. Walton, characterized by those who knew him as an "extremely fair individual" and a "very, very astute businessman," started the first Giant Super Market in 1941 on North Main Street in Mt. Pleasant. From there, he formed a chain of 27 supermarkets and department stores across Michigan including Ray's, Midway, Giant and Giantway.
Dick Martin, vice president of sales for Giant, described Mr. Walton as a man who was "very concerned about his fellow man and seeing that everyone was treated fairly."
Mr. Martin said Mr. Walton always was willing to listen to employees.
"He listened to us all...He always made us feel we were part of his decision," he said.
Calling him an "outstanding businessman," Mr. Martin related a story showing Mr. Walton's business acumen.
According to Mr. Martin, employees were once preparing to buy carloads of turkeys to sell in the stores, when Mr. Walton advised his employees to hold off. As the days went by, the price of turkeys went higher and higher, but Mr. Walton still waited. Then one day Mr. Walton told his employees, that they would buy the turkeys the next day. The very next morning, the price of turkeys dropped drastically, Mr. Martin said, and Giant was able to purchase them at prices well below those its competitors had paid.
"To my dying day, I won't know how he knew that", Mr. Martin said. "He had that sixth sense that told him when to buy things and when not to."
Mr. Martin said Mr. Walton opened his first store after working for the A&P chain and deciding there were many things he could do better.
Shirley Martin corporate secretary for Giant, said she began working in Mr. Walton's original store during World War II.
In his first store, cigar boxes were used by cashiers and Walton used a fishing tackle box in his office to hold the money taken in, she said.
Mrs. Decker said Mr. Walton's mother had opened a little grocery store in Flint and Mr. Walton had helped her in the store even as a child.
"He worked in that store helping her ... and just kept on in the grocery business," she said.
(Morning Sun - June 30, 1986)
∼
Leslie A. Walton
4 Jan 1907 – 27 Jun 1986
Leslie A. Walton, 79, of Mt. Pleasant and formerly of Alma died Friday, June 27, 1986, at Central Michigan Community Hospital in Mt. Pleasant.
Services are scheduled for 2:30 p.m. Sunday at the Stinson-Helms Funeral Home in Mt. Pleasant with the Rev. Richard Anderson of St. John's Episcopal Church in Aima officiating. Burial will be at Memorial Gardens Cemetery in Mt. Pleasant. Memorial contributions may be made to the Isabella County Cancer Society.
Mr. Walton was born Jan. 5, 1907, in Midland. He married Mildred Neville on April 3, 1927, in Pontiac.
He was the retired chairman of the board of Giant Super Markets and Giantway Family Centers and was a member of the Food Marketing Institute and a member of the Mass Merchandisers Institute.
He opened the first Giant Super Market in 1941 on North Main Street in Mt. Pleasant, and he was an honorary member of the Elks Lodge in Alma and a former member of the Alma Lions Club.
Mr. Walton is survived by his wife, Mildred; a son, Richard of Mt. Pleasant; a brother, Wilnie of Midland; and four grandchildren.
(Morning Sun - June 30, 1986)
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