NICK GOSNELL and RICK KRAUS
Hutch Post
SOUTH HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Market South Hutch Business of the Month is Geak Liquor. Owner Gretchen Haring has had the business since 2003.
"Geak is actually an acronym," Haring said. "It stands for my name and my children's names."
Haring was attempting to fill a need on that side of the river.
"South Hutch at the time didn't have a liquor store," Haring said. "We'd been through the area off and on and there's a lot of traffic down Main Street and K-96. It's a nice area. It was just something, the business aspect, to have an income and still raise kids and kind of do our own thing."
Geak Liquor has three employees. Haring says they are awesome.
"I think people are pleasantly surprised when they come in," Haring said. "We have a neat, clean store. We have a lot of variety. We have the craft beers. We have a select variety of wines, and a lot of the seltzers and the fun, fruity drinks, as I like to call them. Then we have your standard, domestic line."
Haring said the customers that have been loyal are what keep her going.
"We wouldn't be here were it not for the customer base, the people that have supported us," Haring said. "Everyone knows the last few years have been sketchy, with everything up in the air. We've got long time customers. They've been coming in here since day one. That's how small businesses survive, the support of the people. You get to know people. I had a lady come in yesterday in her 80s and she's like, do you have my wine? and I'm like, oh yeah, we've got it. It's just a fun way to be a part of other people's lives and help them make their choices. You really get to know them over the years. I've seen young couples and now their kids are 10 or 12 years old. It's definitely the people."
Haring said supply chain issues are a real problem, because when people have a favorite, that's usually the favorite and they will go wherever they can to get it.
That's why Haring really wants to thank everybody that has come through their doors, because, as she says to employees, without those loyal, long term customers, they wouldn't be here.
Geak Liquor is at 513 N Main St, Suite A in South Hutch. They are open from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 11 p.m. Friday and Saturday and closed on Sunday.