Margason moving on after 30 years

KELLOGG - Although it was the last day of his over 30-year career in the grocery business, Stein's employee Joe Margason was busier than usual on Thursday.

Customers filed through the doors with one thing on their minds - to thank him for his steady, good-natured service.

"I've worked for Stein's my whole life since 1981 when I was 15," said Margason with a characteristic grin. "It's pretty emotional to have all these patrons and friends coming in to wish me well."

As an teenager he scored his first job cleaning the parking lot. A few years later he became a box boy, then a check out clerk and later he moved into the freight department.

"I worked my way into management and never looked back," said Margason. "I became one of the youngest assistant managers in the store's history and then one of its youngest managers."

Along the way he made hundreds of friends and colleagues. Day in and day out they toiled together and looked out for each other. He became proficient in every department and held jobs in almost every Stein's store from Eureka, Mont., to Kellogg.

"Every working memory I have has been at Stein's and it's been fantastic," said Margason. "The Steins are like family to me."

He said that many of his friends ventured out of the Silver Valley after high school but he never felt that urge. An avid outdoorsman, he had everything he wanted close to his hometown.

"This is the fly-fishing capital of the world - the elk hunting capital of the world. I just never felt the desire for anything else," said Margason. "To tell you the truth that's part of the reason I'm leaving - I want more time to do those things."

Margason isn't retiring and has a job lined up at Northwest Mine Supply, where he will be working alongside his father-in-law, his best friend and his brother.

"A lot of people think I'm burnt out but I don't get burnt out," he said. "It's just time to move on."

He admitted to being overly-concerned with security and stability, but added he was excited for the change. Since Monday he has been waking up in the early morning hours to contemplate the new job and what will happen in the next week, next month or next year.

"When I walk out of these doors today it will be with my head held high because I can truthfully tell you that all the decisions I've made over the last 30 years were made with the best interest of the store and my coworkers in mind," he said as he turned to greet another well-wisher. "It's just going to be a little weird being on the other side of the counter."