By Bill Fike
A fellow forum commentator from years past, would occasionally use his forum to issue a “Five Gold Star Award” to various businesses in Bloomington/Normal. Illinois State University’s former President Lloyd Watkins, would give these awards to businesses that excelled in “Customer Service” within our community.
Therefore, I would like to continue once again the tradition that Lloyd started, and honor a newly opened business in Bloomington, in which my wife and I experienced exceptional customer service while dining out the other night.
(Please be assured that neither my family or I have any financial interest in this commercial endeavor.)
My motivation for issuing my own “Five Gold Star Award” to this business, is to let others know that this Iowa based firm is truly an exceptional customer oriented operation, and is a great addition to McLean County.
My wife and I, along with her sister and sister’s husband, had the extreme pleasure of dining in at Hy-Vee’s Market Grill Restaurant about a two weeks ago. Once seated, our server informed us that if one of us could “make a putt” on a small putting green, we all would receive a free appetizer. An interesting and enjoyable marketing concept, especially since I made the putt on my first try.
But what was most remarkable is that the restaurant, without any complaint from my wife and I, offered our meal at NO CHARGE, because our pizza was not immediately served along with the entree’s brought forth for the couple in which we were dining. (I guess our original pizza had fallen on the floor, and another pizza had to be made.)
Kudos to the management of the Hy-Vee’s Market Grill!! They certainly do business as I did during my 35 years downtown; and in honor of my friend Lloyd Watkins, I present Hy-Vee with my own “Five Gold Star Award”!
By the way, the pizza was excellent, too!!
Bill Fike owned and operated Winnie’s of Bloomington, Inc., (Winnie’s Menswear) from 1973 until his retirement in May of 2009. Bill also owned Churchill’s Formal Wear, LTD. from 1996 until he sold Churchill’s to James Carroll in March 2007. Bill and Cheryl just celebrated 40 years of marriage this past June 12, 2011 and they have one son, Joseph, and one daughter, Carmen. Bill was in the second graduating class of Illinois Central College in 1971, and then went on to Clark School of Aviation-Flight, obtaining both VFR and IFR flight certificates. Bill has been able to trace his family heritage back to his great, great, great grandfather’s family, A.C. Herron’s, (on grandmother’s side), who was one of the original settlers of Bloomington.
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