Yes, I know Joe Coulombe died back in February. But I've been wanting to tell a story about him (actually his wife) and a few things have gotten in the way since then.
First, Coulombe was both an innovator and a visionary who was able to turn something as mundane as a grocery store into a cult following. Most everyone who knew him said he was the same person no matter what company he was in.
But my story is about his wife, Alice. A formidable figure, but equally nice. In the early 1990’s I found myself sitting on the Board of Directors of the Los Angeles Opera. I had no business being there among the LA elite. (I was a representative of a young professionals group supporting the Opera). Anyway, I sat next to Mrs. Coulombe at a reception, and she was nice enough to ask me about myself. I admitted I had no business being on the Board, and that I couldn’t possibly come close to donating the millions of dollars that everyone else did.
Mrs. Coulombe smiled and said, “When I was your age, I had no money and all sorts of time. Now I have all sorts of money and no time. So your gift of time is just as important.”
At that moment, I realized I belonged. RIP, Trader Joe.