Our friends Joe and Elaine Pruett were in from San Antonio this weekend. Joe and Elaine just recently moved back to the states, after a lengthy stint in Guadalajara. Their Hispanic neighbors in San Antonio are quite shocked to hear their three fair skinned boys speaking flawless Spanish.

I asked Elaine today: What do you miss the most about Guadalajara right now? I think they miss a lot of things about it actually. She told me that she misses having the mom and pop stores within walking distance from their home. I have been in those little stores! The shopkeepers can cram more into a small space than you can imagine! Mom and Pop stores are out of fashion for the most part in metropolitan areas here in the states. In fact, that has been the case for decades. I miss the whole concept of mom and pop businesses, but for an entirely different reason.

Elaine triggered a flood of memories for me. When I was in college, I worked in old fashioned full-service Texaco gas station. Mr. Groux had been the owner and operator for many years went I went to work for him in 1980. He was a very successful businessman. As employees, we were expected to wear clean uniforms, shave everyday, keep our cut short, and be extremely courteous to his extensive base of customers. Mr. Groux was good to me. He had very high expectations, but I learned invaluable life lessons from him. Here are the things that stand out today.

Mr. Groux was honest with customers and employees alike. He never lied to anyone or implied that work needed to be done on a car that was not absolutely necessary. He modeled a kind of professional integrity that I have taken with me for my entire career.

He was determined that I was going to finish my undergraduate education. There were times that I wanted to quit and work fulltime. He encouraged the pursuit of a college degree in many ways.

He rewarded all of us with generous raises, as we learned to take on additional responsibility. It was a prosperous business that did very well. It took committed employees to make it run smoothly. He recognized the value of a dedicated worker. I learned a lot about responsibility during the five years I worked for him.

He cared about all of us. At one point, I was going to move in to a house with a bunch of my buddies. He knew that it was going to be one big party at an animal house. He told me one evening in his office that I was going to do no such thing. I was intimidated enough by him to listen, and so the plans to move into the animal house were thwarted.

He modeled people skills that I have been using for almost thirty years. Mr. Groux knew how to listen to people. I really believe people came into the business just to have someone to talk to at times. He was warm and cordial, but very wise too.

Bill Groux retired and sold the business a number of years ago now. The full serve gas pumps have been removed. The old service station is now a state of the art auto repair shop with computerized diagnostic equipment. The wash bay where we did hand car washes is now occupied with a sophisticated front end alignment apparatus. The old school cash register is collecting dust in a closet somewhere. The old cans of motor oil that we dispensed in cars can be seen in antique shops now.

Someone else occupies that office where Mr. Groux told me that I had no business moving into the animal house. I suspect there is a computer sitting on top of the massive desk that he occupied. Mr. Groux knew nothing about quickbooks, but he was pretty good with a #2 pencil and a ledger sheet. I can’t help but wonder if the person sitting behind the desk is modeling integrity, responsibility and the value of an education to their employees? I wonder if the employees have to wear clean uniforms and shave everyday. I agree with Elaine. I miss the mom and pop businesses too…I miss Mr. Groux today.