Romero Kids Learning FamilyBusiness

Romero Kids Learning FamilyBusiness

Business is a family affair for the Romero family, who work hard in Joseph Romero’s three convenience stores in Central.

Almost any day, you’ll find Shelby, 18, Samantha, 16, and Joseph, Jr., 12, busy behind the counter or stocking shelves.

Their dad, Joseph Romero, purchased his first store at the corner of Joor and Core roads in 2007. Three years later, Ken Sullivan sold Joseph his convenience store at the corner of Joor and Lovett roads.  Then two years ago, he opened a store on Denham Road, when a store there closed.

It’s a business that requires long hours and hard work.  Joseph is at work by 4 a.m. every morning, but working with his kids makes it special. “I love having my kids work with me,” he said.  “We spend time together and get to eat lunch together.  My kids have learned to do everything in the store, and they could run it by themselves if they had to.”

Daughter Shelby was salutatorian of Central Private’s Class of 2015.  In her speech to the graduates, she credited her father with teaching her that money doesn’t grow on trees and has to be earned.  She plans to attend SLU

Joseph and wife Pam live in the Pride area and their children are outside the Central Community School System.  Joseph decided to get involved in Central Private and has served on the Board of Directors since 2007. All his kids attend CPS.

Joseph is proud of the program at Central Private and points to the school’s growing enrollment, which is now up to 460.

Joseph himself attended Denham Road Christian School, where he graduated in 1986.  He credits the late Rev. Cliff French and his teachers there with being great role models.

Joseph says all of the employees at Romero’s three locations are like family, whether they are related by blood or not.

What makes Romero’s different?  Joseph says there are two things: Cleanliness and customer service.  His staff makes sure every store is a place where you feel comfortable that everything is sanitary and well maintained.

Customer service begins with staff saying hello to every customer who walks in the front door.  “Our friendly attitude gets noticed!” he said.  “One day a top executive with a major company in Baton Rouge stopped me and said, ‘Joseph, I’ve been sitting in that booth watching how your staff handles customers.  My company has forgotten we’re in the customer service business.’  A couple days later, he told me he called a meeting of all his employees and he used our store as an example of how to treat people.”

There are more than 150,000 convenience stores in the United States, but in Central the biggest chain isn’t Circle K or Cracker Barrel or B-Quik or 7-Eleven.  It’s locally-owned and family-operated Romero’s — with three convenient locations!

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