Leopoldo Sanchez (center), along with Steve Diksell (left), director of the Small Business Administration's Eastern Pennsylvania Regional Office, and Jim Berger, senior vice president of the Community First Fund, are members of the U.S. Small Business Administration Winner of the 2024 Eastern Pennsylvania Minority-Owned Small Business Award. Mr. Sanchez was recognized Tuesday for his work as president of Supernatural & Fresh Produce in Redding. (Leading Eagle – Bill Ulrich)
It was a festive atmosphere outside Supernatural & Fresh Produce on Tuesday morning.
Leopoldo Sanchez was greeted with handshakes and hugs from friends and family as he made his way through the crowd that had gathered at the entrance to a grocery store on North 12th Street in Redding.
After all, it was a special day for him. He was about to be honored with the 2024 Eastern Pennsylvania Minority-Owned Small Business of the Year by representatives from the U.S. Small Business Administration.
But Sanchez quickly directed his praise elsewhere.
“This would not have been possible without my community,” the Redding resident said. “I worked hard in this city for many years, and the people have always supported me.”
Mr. Sanchez emphasized his humble beginnings, opening his first bodega in Redding about 25 years ago, drawing on his experience working at a store owned by a relative while growing up in the Dominican Republic.
We then helped establish a city supermarket to serve residents living in areas where income, location, and transportation issues limit access to healthy, affordable food.
But in 2014, he decided to go out on his own with a mission to take over this work.
Sanchez opened Super Natural & Fresh Produce to serve the people of Northeast Redding. This grocery store offers produce and other products not found elsewhere in the city, and specifically serves the local Latino population.
“My customers are like my family,” he said. “I’m so happy to be able to help the community, because they work so hard for this city and they deserve a place like this.”
Sanchez said he takes his responsibility as a business owner seriously, including toward his employees. Since the store's opening, he has adopted a hiring plan that hires junior members of the community who are offered opportunities to advance in the company through training and experience.
Jim Berger, senior vice president of the Community First Fund, told the crowd outside the store Tuesday that Sanchez was nominated for the honor because of his dedication to the community. Told.
Berger said he has enjoyed watching Sanchez grow the business over the past 10 years, expanding to include stores in Scranton and Lancaster. And he said he was shocked by how Sanchez handled himself during the match.
He said Mr. Sanchez is passionate about putting his community at the center of his business plans, is a personable person who knows his customers well and treats them with great respect, and when he sets his mind to something, he He said he is persistent because nothing can hold him back for long. .
Those traits will no doubt help him in his latest endeavor, Berger said.
Sanchez is converting a dilapidated 40,000-square-foot auto repair shop at North Fourth and Elm streets into a grocery store, produce warehouse, cafe and tortilla factory.
Steve Diksell, district director of the Small Business Administration's Eastern Pennsylvania District Office, said this new initiative and the accomplishments Sanchez has already accomplished are clear reasons why he deserves to be praised.
“When you look at the people here, you know this community appreciates you,” he told Sanchez before handing over the plaque. “You are contributing to the economic development and revitalization of Redding by providing jobs to local communities and eliminating food deserts. Thank you for your efforts.”