Nancy Ostroff and family have shopped at the Acme at 6640 Oxford Ave. for 60-plus years, but a November 2020 automobile accident left her with a broken wrist and serious ankle injury, with a coronavirus diagnosis to follow. She spent a lot of time in a hospital and rehab.
After not seeing Ostroff in the store for a while, Acme assistant store director Sue Thomas called to check on her wellbeing, as the two are friendly.
After learning of the accident, Thomas arranged for a delivery of groceries to her home. Then, she offered to pick up Ostroff, take her to the store to shop, then bring her back home.
Last September, to show her appreciation, Ostroff arranged for Acme Mid-Atlantic Region president Jim Perkins, vice president Rena Shiles and district manager Bud Corry to visit the store so she could thank Thomas and store director Matt Smith.
Perkins presented Thomas with the prestigious President’s Award for her thoughtfulness.
Last week, Ostroff continued to show her appreciation by helping to bring Albertsons Companies CEO Vivek Sankaran to the store. She wanted Sankaran to know that Philadelphia isn’t known only for its violence, but that people like Thomas and her twin Liz, who also works at the store, can make a difference in someone’s life. Ostroff considers Acme to be part of her family.
“It’s a blessing beyond blessings,” Ostroff said. “It means the world to me. It goes above and beyond the call of duty.”
Ostroff calls the Oxford Avenue Acme a “small store with a very big heart.”
The hoopla of having television camera crews and the top guy at Albertsons led customers to inquire what was happening. One woman thought Acme sold a winning Powerball ticket. A man figured somebody had been shot.
Sue Thomas has worked for Acme for 28 years, including eight years at the Oxford Avenue store. She said her parents raised her and her sister to help others, but that helping Ostroff and other customers is a team effort among all employees.
Sankaran, who came from Boise, Idaho, got a flu shot at the store and praised the Thomas twins.
“They are a great example,” he said. “There’s not enough Sue’s and Liz’s around.”
Ostroff and employees presented Sankaran with a care package that included an Eagles blanket. ••
