THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Tuesday, October 31, 1995 TAG: 9510310287
SECTION: BUSINESS PAGE: D1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
LENGTH: Short : 47 lines
Manuel B. Saunders, a veteran grocer who helped organize and lead the Be-Lo Supermarkets group, was buried Monday.
A Norfolk native who grew up working in the family's grocery store, Saunders followed his late father, J.L. Saunders, into the business.
Saunders died in a Norfolk hospital Saturday at the age of 74 after an illness.
At the time of his death, he had been chairman of Camellia Food Stores Inc., a Norfolk-based group of 41 grocery stores. In addition to heading the company's board of directors, Saunders had been active in shaping Camellia's advertising and operations until mid-summer.
In the 1950s, ``he was one of the pioneers in Tidewater of self-service grocery stores,'' said Steven H. Saunders, a nephew who worked closely with Saunders at three family-owned Be-Lo stores in Norfolk.
Under his uncle's direction, ``you did everything you could to keep the customer happy,'' Steven Saunders said. ``He wanted the check-out lines to stay as short as possible.''
In 1955, Saunders and four other grocers in the area established Be-Lo Supermarkets as a buying organization. He and the other owners also adopted the Be-Lo name for their stores.
In the late 1980s, Camellia Food Stores purchased a majority of the Be-Lo stores. However, six Be-Lo stores, including three owned by the Saunders family, remain independent.
Walter L. Grant, who retired earlier this year as president of Camellia, said Saunders participated in every major decision the company made. He also played a major role in Camellia's expansion.
``It didn't bother him to stay in the background,'' Grant said. ``He was in the background and giving the advice, being the sounding board, a strong shoulder to lean on.
``Manuel was not too excitable. He never got mad. He was one of those kinds of people who was always in control.'' ILLUSTRATION: Manuel B. Saunders in 1973
KEYWORDS: DEATH OBITUARY by CNB