A2Z
If you have children or grandchildren, or know and love a child (which is pretty much all of us), then you know A2Z. You know the joy of exploring its aisles and deciding which of the many options available to purchase and bring home or gift.
Over 30 years ago, Jack and Priscilla Finn opened A2Z in the basement of Thornes Marketplace, later moving to their signature spot on King Street.
While a student at UMass, André Boulay began working at the store in 2001. However, he was no stranger to A2Z before then. In high school, André gained a teacher and mentor in Jack when he attended the yo-yo school Jack ran. Devon joined the staff after meeting André at UMass until their son Pierce was born.
So how did it come to pass that the young couple became the new owners of A2Z?
Jack said, “When we were ready to make the change, they were ready to take up the challenge. The set of skills that both André and Devon had were clearly what was needed to bring the store into the next generation.”Still, the transition took time. “You can’t say ‘I’m done.’ It doesn’t just happen overnight,” said Priscilla.
After ownership was transferred in 2015, Jack and Priscilla stayed on as employees for about 25 hours a week for the first year.
Devon said, “We were so excited to continue this legacy, but one of the biggest hurdles was trying to figure out what Priscilla did in that back office, how to keep the store full of good quality merchandise.”
At the one year mark, “we had an open ended conversation . It was a good amount of time for us to learn from each other,” said André. “Now, we needed to make our own mistakes and learn from them.”
Devon adds, “We are so lucky to have this built in customer base that is incredibly loyal.” For this reason, “all the changes we’ve made have been about mechanics: things like how to train staff or integrating technology,” adds André.
Priscilla and Jack continue to live in the space behind the store, and are traveling more, something they could never do as store owners. This summer, they are planning their fourth cross-country trip, knowing that A2Z is now in the best of hands.
“Being a part of downtown and the community feels really right,” said Devon.” “Any job you have you want it to be about something greater, not just about money.”
Devon adds,” Even on the really hard, busy days, to walk out on the floor and see the kids smiling and interacting – it puts everything into perspective.”
Click below to learn about other transition pairs featured at Torch.
