Norm stocked his last shelves after 17 year career at Rovero's

SEELEY LAKE – "I just have to ask Norm a quick question," said a Rovero's customer on Norm Sindelar's last official day of work. "He always knows the answer."

Anyone who frequents Rovero's knows Norm. After 17 years working the floor of the hardware department and in ordering, Sindelar retired at the end of March. While customers will still see him in and out helping with different projects and helping train his replacement Carmen Contreras, he is looking forward to more time to work on unfinished projects, fishing and hiking in the area and traveling to visit his six children and seven grandchildren.

Sindelar started working for IGA grocery store in Miles City, Mont. when he was 16 years old. Before he graduated high school, he was promoted to assistant manager until he graduated.

"It taught me a lot," said Sindelar. "I had responsibility, opened and closed the store and trained the checkers. It was good business in the [little] store."

Following graduating high school, Sindelar served in the Navy for four years. When he returned to Montana, he hoped to get out of the grocery business.

"Well, low and behold, the jobs that were open for me were in grocery stores," said Sindelar.

He started working for Buttery Foods in Miles City as a clerk. After eight years, he got his first assistant managers job in Lewistown, Mont. where he worked for five years.

In 1979, Sindelar was given his first manager job for the combined store Buttrey Osco in Cheyenne, Wyo. Sindelar opened that store and then opened another new store in Billings in 1981 where he met his wife Kathy. Sindelar worked his way up to assistant district manager in Billings.

"I wanted to get back in the stores because it was so much travel and on the road," said Sindelar.

Sindelar moved to Great Falls and finally transferred to Missoula where he managed the East Gate Buttrey store until 1997. On the promise that he could return to Montana, Sindelar agreed to return to manage the store he opened in Cheyenne almost 20 years earlier.

"Then Albertsons bought [the store] and I didn't have the promise of getting back to Montana anymore," said Sindelar.

He took an early retirement at age 55, "just to get us home to Montana."

Having no prior connection, the Sindelars settled on Seeley Lake and moved in 1999. Their youngest son was still in high school when they moved.

Sindelar worked at a few different placed before being asked to come work at Rovero's by owners Larry and Addrien Marx.

"They knew I had a retail background, so I said sure. I'll give it a go," said Sindelar.

Sindelar started at Rovero's in 2002 as a hardware clerk and counter person. The job that started as part time, quickly became full time.

The Marxes quickly shifted him into ordering the majority of the food and snack items as well as other products offered in the convenience section. "It was a piece of cake for me because I did retail grocery and supermarkets for 35 years," said Sindelar.

Sindelar said that business started to really pick up in the mid-2000s. Larry decided to tear down an old warehouse that used to be where the parking lot is.

"That was the best move he ever made," said Sindelar. "That was a big improvement to open that up."

Sindelar had the opportunity to attend the annual trade show in Spokane to find new products to try in the Seeley Lake market. This brought a lot of little improvements in the products offered to the customers.

"I really enjoyed that. Addrien really treated me well with that. I came out with some pretty good deals...bonus type things, which made it nice," said Sindelar.

Some of the biggest changes Sindelar has seen during his tenure with Rovero's has been the customer base. He said there used to be log trucks packing the pumps day in and day out, but now the trucks are fewer and fewer. However, now those coming to recreate are the main customers. Sindelar said snowmobiling has become increasingly popular. He feels that the winter events like Seeley Lake Pond Hockey, Snow Joke and all the well maintained cross country ski trails are magnets for town during the winter months.

"It's been great for the community," said Sindelar. "I haven't been active in a lot of that myself, I really look up to those who have."

Sindelar was part of the management team. Kathy joined him at Rovero's almost 10 years ago after working at Albertson's in Missoula.

"I like the job and love watching the the community grow, the kids and the families," said Sindelar. "We got to know Seeley Lake and the people in it."

Sindelar said his career with Buttreys was wonderful and he loved it at Rovero's

"Addrien and Larry were wonderful to work for and the new ownership is a great bunch," said Sindelar. "It is kind of hard to leave but it is time. I'll still be around."

When asked what he will miss the most, Sindelar didn't hesitate, "it's the customers and the characters like Papa Smurf I'll miss the most. It is a great community."