Picone Fine Food
- Dev Team
- 29 Oct 2015
In the heart of downtown Dundas sits Picone Fine Food, a small family business that turned 100 years old just a few months ago. Founded in 1915 by Joseph Picone Sr., the store has evolved from a general food market to a fine foods boutique, and is now in the capable hands of his grandchildren. I had the privilege of working at Picone’s during my high school years – it’s a job I still look back on fondly. Recently, on a trip to Europe, it occurred to me that this little family store in Dundas epitomizes the notion of the big business of small business. The realization hit me while walking through Paris, a city which seems to have an infinite amount of small restaurants, cafes, shops, and boutiques throughout its never ending arrondissements. The vibrant culture of these small businesses is a large reason the city is so alluring for North American visitors; it’s a novelty when compared to chain shopping at Limeridge Mall or the asphalt empires known as Smart Centres. The experience offered by a small business operated by a personally invested proprietor is second to none. These small businesses make up the large European downtowns, but, like Picone’s, they’re also a growing part of the remerging urban culture of Canadian cities.
For the Picone siblings that run their family store today, their small business is a big part of their lives. It’s not a job that they report to, but instead it’s a legacy that they participate in. They know their suppliers and customers personally. Ask Lisa about a product on their shelves, and she’ll happily take the time to tell you all about it. At the cash register, you’ll find Sharon asking her customers about their day while she rings up their orders of French cheeses, fresh local produce, and seasonal sweets. Theresa can be found optimizing every square foot of the retail space for polish and profitability. She’s a strong leader with a big heart and a little tolerance for laziness and sloppy work. I remember once combining a few different type of apples into several large display baskets (likely because my colourblindness made them appear the same), only to spend the next hour sorting each of the large baskets out, apple by apple, until Theresa was satisfied that everything was made right again. The sisters each bring different gifts to their grandfather’s store, but together they continue a small business with a tremendous history and an enduring local legacy.
What larger businesses may offer in quantity and convenience, Picone’s exceeds in quality and passion. The same goes for many of the small businesses that line the bustling sidewalks of downtown Dundas and Hamilton’s other commercial districts. Small businesses aren’t owned by equity firms or funds. They’re owned and operated by passionate people who invest deeply in building something they’re proud of. Perhaps 100 years from now, some of the small shops that you’ve seen opening recently in Hamilton’s vacant storefronts will still be flourishing after a century of commerce and contribution in the community. You can help make that happen by patronizing them. Most of Hamilton’s heavy industry rose and fell within the last century, but Picone Fine Foods still opens every morning. Hamilton’s future rests on the big business of small businesspeople like Theresa, Sharon, and Lisa, and the thousands of others like them.
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