Market 32/Price Chopper strong supporter of the Collaborative

Relationship with Proctors and the Golub Family at the heart of partnership

Since 1932, Market 32/Price Chopper has been the Capital Region’s grocery store. Growing out of a wholesale business at the turn of the 20th century, brothers William and Bernard Golub opened what was then known as Central Market and established the foundation for what the company has become today.

“For us, it’s about sustaining and improving the communities we serve,” says Mona Golub, granddaughter of William Golub, and current vice-president of communications and public affairs for Market 32/Price Chopper’s parent company, Northeast Grocery/Northeast Shared Services. “It’s about recognizing the needs of those communities, connecting and engaging with them, and moving life forward in a positive way.”

You might be forgiven if this seems to you like an odd philosophy from a grocery store, but the history of the company and its deep family ties to the entire region creates a corporate motivation unique in its industry.

According to Golub, “The early days of the company made it clear to us that, as a business born here in New York, it was really important for us to embrace local purveyors – to grow the local economy. By purchasing product from right here, supporting people and businesses right here, helped provide the freshest, most interesting product from nearby to people who cared about it because they too are New Yorkers. The truth is many of our competitors are not from New York or not from the United States, so perhaps they don’t share the enthusiasm that we do for what’s made right here.”

Beyond the business of selling groceries – a business that employs over 16,000 people in more than 500 unique roles throughout the company – Market 32/Price Chopper has committed itself to supporting the Capital Region in myriad ways. “Our community relations team is hard at work every day of the year, looking for opportunities to support everything from arts and culture, to education, health and human services, families, and seniors. We work to reach into the community and connect with people who are doing great things and figure out how to help them keep doing those great things.

For nearly 50 years, the Golub family and Market 32/Price Chopper has provided incredible support to Proctors Collaborative. From helping spare our Schenectady theatre from the wrecking ball in the 1970s, to ongoing support of our operations each year, the partnership between Market 32/Price Chopper and Proctors has been very strong. Golub says, “Proctors is this great engager and convenor of community. In addition to being a fabulous Broadway house, Proctors has always focused on connecting with community, providing spaces and places, speakers and events, that gather the community and give them positive reason to come together to think. That really sustains and improves communities as well.”

And Golub knows a thing or two about Proctors. She currently sits on the Board of Directors, and serves as the chair of the Marketing Committee, but long before that, she could be spotted in the building.

“After I graduated college, I moved back to Schenectady and rented an apartment about one block from the theatre. I would volunteer in the concession stand as many nights of the week as they would have me. I think the volunteer coordinators might have gotten sick of seeing me there so much!”

What started as a family business has eventually grown into a major corporation spanning the entire Northeast. And what started as individual support from Golub’s parents has grown into a decades-long relationship, spanning generations.

“If you or your business are looking to contribute to an organization that engages and convenes community in positive ways, Proctors Collaborative is that organization. You will see that return. We are lucky to have Proctors Collaborative, as a resource and as a partner.”