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MARK SCHNUCK:
Developing a New Market
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By Christine Imbs
When your family business is the tenth largest privately-owned grocery store chain in the United States, the odds are pretty good that your future lies in supermarkets. But if you’re also the fourth out of six kids, you need to find your own special niche, if you want to make an impact. And in the case of Mark Schnuck, that impact came not by running a store, but by building them.
“Did I play with Lincoln Logs when I was a kid? No,” he says laughing. “Being number four, I had to figure out something I could get my arms around and build. This just happened to be it.”
As president and CEO of The DESCO Group, the real estate arm of the family business, Schnuck has developed supermarket-anchored shopping centers throughout the St. Louis area. It was something his father and uncle started back in the 1960s.
“They realized that real estate developers were taking our store leases to the bank and developing shopping centers,” he explains. “They said, ‘We can do that.’ So they started developing properties themselves.”
Schnuck says he became interested in the real estate side of the business in the 1970s after visiting the construction site of the store at Mason and Olive with his father and brother, Craig.
“It really turned me on watching something being built from the ground up that would be a vibrant little business hub,” he says. “And most people don’t realize it, but about 60 percent of our projects have nothing to do with the supermarket. It’s exciting.”
With offices in Phoenix and Tucson, DESCO is also involved in developing office and medical office buildings. Currently, they’re creating a space for the University of Arizona Medical School in downtown Phoenix. And, they are also working on a number of different retail projects in Detroit, Colorado, Florida, Iowa and Arizona.
“It’s gratifying to be able to build a business outside of just the neighborhood supermarket-anchored project,” Schnuck says. “And we’re able to do this, because I’ve really got great people here. I believe in hiring people who are a lot smarter
than I am.”
Schnuck credits his mother and father as being the biggest influences in his life. “They were two different types of influences, really. My mother is very loving and caring, while my father had a strong work ethic,” he
comments.
Because of that work ethic, Schnuck says he and his siblings learned the supermarket business inside and out by working in every department. He began his training at age 16 bagging groceries at the Des Peres store.`
“Both of my parents were also big on education,” Schnuck adds. “So they made sure if there was no family business, we could take care of ourselves.”
Giving back to the community was also important. Schnuck’s father was involved in numerous civic projects including running The United Way Campaign. And in 1990 he was the St. Louis Man of the Year. “Following his example, we’re all involved in some way with the community,” Schnuck comments. “I’ve been on the board of the Salvation Army, and right now, I’m working with the Zoo.”
When asked what the key to his success is, Schnuck laughs and says, “I’m not in control.”
“I’ve learned that when I start thinking I can control things myself, that’s when things go the wrong way,” he says. “As I said before, I hire people smarter than me, and then get out of their way.”
As for future plans, Schnuck says he just wants to keep doing what he’s doing.
“I just love what I do. I’ve never even
considered doing anything else, not even retirement. I think I’ll probably just keep doing deals until they throw dirt on me.”
TalkingPOINTE |
FAMILY: Wife, Stephanie.
HIGH SCHOOL: John Burroughs
UNIVERSITIES: Maryville University &
Saint Louis University Graduate School
FAVORITE BOOK: “Undaunted Courage” by Stephen Ambrose
FAVORITE MUSIC: Loves all types. Did the Sunday afternoon Jazz show on KCLC in college.
EXCITED ABOUT: The birth of their child and seeing The Rolling Stones in
concert.
HOBBIES: Duck and turkey hunting
BEST THING ABOUT ST. LOUIS: It’s a great place to raise your kids. Also the
cultural venues. |
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