Recipe for Success: How The Veggie Wagon Rolls

For nearly 15 years, The Veggie Wagon has been a community hub for fresh produce, homemade baked goods, prepared foods, wine, beer and more. What began as a simple roadside stand in Pleasure Island, has grown to include two locations – one in Carolina Beach and one at Masonboro Commons – each with its own unique personality and clientele.

But The Veggie Wagon evolution has not been without challenges. From dealing with natural disasters such as Hurricane Florence, which left its Carolina Beach location underwater, to navigating a global pandemic, owners Max and April Sussman have demonstrated resilience and adaptability.

From the outset, the Sussmans recognized the importance of investing in their staff. Though they’ve been very hands-on from the start, they understood that their team would be essential to their success.

“The empowerment, training and knowledge we provide allows them to be our representatives, and they come through for us.” Max Sussman said. “It’s one of the coolest things when employees stay with us, even when they have other options.”

This investment in staff has cultivated a sense of loyalty and commitment among employees. The Sussmans have found that tenured employees bring invaluable experience and energy, helping them to navigate the twists and turns of operating a small business. They view employee input as a vital source of innovation and growth.

One of the Sussmans’ mantras is “If you’re not growing, changing and adapting, you’re dying.”

This willingness to embrace change and constantly assess what’s working well and what needs to change has kept them moving forward. A big part of that is assessing employee and customer feedback.

“We’re constantly filtering ideas from employees, customers and partners,” Max Sussman said.

It also means reassessing their own ideas.

“Sometimes you think you have a great idea, something that’s definitely going to be a hit, and then somehow it’s not,” Max Sussman said, reflecting on some of the prepared dishes that turned out to be a flop.

April Sussman began her career as an educator, and it’s clear that this remains a part of her ethos as a business owner. She and Max view themselves not only as employers but as mentors and have taken an active role in nurturing their employees’ personal growth. They provide opportunities for staff to develop social skills, financial literacy and other essential life skills. For some of The Veggie Wagon’s young part-time employees, this is one of their first jobs, and the Sussmans recognize the need to teach them what it means to be a good employee.

“Everyone comes from different backgrounds and has their own unique strengths,” April Sussman said. “So it’s important to tailor training to each employee. What may seem like common knowledge isn’t always the case, so you have to meet them where they’re at and be willing to provide different strategies to help them be successful.”

Part of their continued investment in their staff is creating an environment where employees can express their creativity. The staff designs the menu chalkboards that have become part of the business’s aesthetic. This not only enhances the visual appeal of the stores but also gives employees a creative outlet and makes them feel more connected to their work.

The Sussmans also name products after employees who contribute ideas for new menu items or products. This recognition not only validates the employees’ creative contributions but also fosters a sense of ownership and pride in their work.

The owners’ approach to filtering and implementing employee and customer feedback has been instrumental in maintaining a dynamic and responsive business. By running contests and encouraging employees to share their ideas, they foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement. This process allows them to identify and implement the best ideas while ensuring that everyone feels valued and heard.

Customer feedback has taught the Sussmans that what people in Pleasure Island want is often different from what people who frequent the Masonboro store are looking for. Adapting each store to the wants and needs of the customer isn’t always easy logistically, but they’ve found it to be necessary for each location to thrive.

One of the biggest projects the Sussmans have recently undertaken in response to customer feedback was the creation of a beer garden at the Pleasure Island location. They found that customers were looking for a place to sit and enjoy a sandwich, ice cream or beer, but prior to adding the beer garden, the outside seating was very limited and offered little shade.

Now, with plenty of shaded seating, a dedicated bar with draft beer and a small stage for live music – as well as additional parking – the beer garden provides a gathering space for locals and visitors to congregate. In addition to the food they sell, they also invite local food trucks to set up shop regularly.

Having designed and built much of the beer garden themselves, the Sussmans said it was exciting for them to take on a creative project as a couple.

“When you’ve built a company like this you just don’t have the option to quit,” Max Sussman said. “The only option is to keep growing and improving.”