TRACK 30ÉGeorge Mocol Interviews David Mocol—July
2008
IntroductionÉcomes down and helps us outÉ
43Étell us a bit about yourselfÉ
53ÉI have a very interesting life. I life a suburban/Eagan life. I lease industrial manufacturing
equipment. I deal with big
companies and the like (NOTHING)
1:30ÉI enjoy the pace of Mankato and my opportunity to
always keep in touch with who I am and where I came from (NICE)
1:50Éwhen I come back here and I walk in the door of
mocolÕs itÕs not that IÕm walking into our familyÕs store, itÕs that IÕm
walking into the door of my grandpaÕs store and my great grandparents
store. IÕve watched the
progression of our family businessÉ
2:35Émy earliest memories are from around here. I remember all the family members roles
who had such a vital impact.
3:04. My
grandfather had such a strong concern for the people around here. Making sure we always treated the
customer the way we wan to be treated.
3:30
(EXELLENT TAPE). He made
sure we put ourselves in their shoes and the like.
3:45ÉGeorge talks about two sides—the personal and
the business. Take a personal
interest in your customers but not too muchÉ
4:19ÉitÕs always a fine line, I think, when you have a
family owned business. When your
family as tried to make a history of being a good neighbor and good citizen.
4:45Éour grandfather came here for a better life (GOOD
TAPE). Had no freedom. They were under forced things and
deprived a lot of the basic human rights.
5:17 (THIS IS WELL Said). He always encouraged us to make this place, this community a
better place. That value has
always been very strong in our family.
We always were taught to give back (GOOD)
5:55Édo you feel thereÕs more to giving back than than
joining groups. Do you feel like
like by taking part
6:36Éthe city is made of peopleÉwe all do a lot better
and the like (good tape).
7:00Éwe want to take an active role in making sure our
business grows and thrives, etc.
7:22Éone of the great things that differentiate us is
that we know our customers, we know their wants, we can meet those needs.
7:55Édo you feel people are looking for a sense of
continuityÉthey go to a convenience store and the likeÉdo you think thatÕs part
of the appeal.
8:27Éthe anonymity of life today is a problem (excellent)
8:45ÉthereÕs a sense of identity and acknowledgement of
who they are. Not only keeps them
plugged into this community but it keeps them involved (GREAT STUFF)
9:15ÉWEÕVE FOUND people respond very well to their
needs. They can get anonymity
anywhere. MocolÕs is the opposite
kind of placeÉ
10:20Éa lot of customers pre-date me. I remember seeing kids and the
like.
10:55Éa lot of people that walk in the door are older
nowÉor they are the children of those that came in during the 50s (GOOD). TheyÕre still coming to mocolsÉprovides
that continuity and so on.
11:40Éwe have watched and have seen when individuals have
gotten sick. We have seen this
occur. And we like to know. And we were genuinely concerned with
how they are doing, etc.
12:15Éseems like every summer they drive around,
reluctantly walk in, and theyÕre almost surprised that weÕre still here. That something is the same. TheyÕre surprised.
12:47ÉI think youÕd have a very hard time finding places
like this anywhere else in the country.
(EXCELLENT). Five
generations of involvement on the part of the family and such.
13:20Éone of the most interesting thing about the
summerÉweÕve always referred to it as the tourist season. People would talk about tough times in
the depression and how our grandfather would assist them and such.
14:00Éwe hear those stories all the timeÉduring the
tourist season, theyÕre pretty frequent.
14:20Édoes it give you a good feeling that they stop
here.
14:30Éthe comments that you get are so interestingÉthey
always tell you that this is some of the last bit of the real Mankato. They get in the valley and they have
some level of comfortÉbut when they get to mocolÕs
15:12Éhe says broad and lafyette (GOOD TAPE)
15:40Éit always amazed me that those individuals are
still very much alive. That same
thought is still with me knowÉ
16:00Éthere comes a point where you say, why am I doing
this. Why canÕt I go fishing, play
golf, etc.
16:22Éhave you ever had that feeling. Our dad always expected us to get home
and help our grandfather. Our
father was here working but he needed help and so on.
16:54Éif you put in 10 you have to give 20, but at the
end of the day you always feel like youÕve accomplished a great deal.
17:20ÉI donÕt think thereÕs many jobs that could really
compare.
17:40Énot many people (GEORGE) who can say I was with my
father or grandfather virtually every day.
18:00ÉthatÕs one of the greatest benefits you get. It gives you first-hand ability to be a
part of this family, this family business.
18:30Éall the people who have had a role in this from day
one. All of the employees that
have worked here. NOT MUCHÉ
19:00Éthe business has given (HERE he answers)Éwe work
with the family from morning to night.
Teaches a high level of tolerance, etc. (GOOD TAPE)
19;43Ébe open minded tolerant, etc.
19:50Édo you read peopleÉyou become a master at
understanding people. You become
extremely insightful in understanding their motives. Many people are fairly easy to read.
20:25Éalong with that, this business has given us the
skills to do things anywhere..
21:00Éfamily instilled in us appreciation of higher
education. A lot of things we
could be doing and so forthÉ
21:50Édoes it bother you when people say ÒyouÕre one of
the mocol boysÉÓ actually, IÕve
been one of the mocol boys foreverÉ
they know you because you are a member of this family.
Very nice closeÉwe could always save money on the
tombstoneÉthanks a lot for the interview