GREENFIELD — After 50 years of working at Foster’s Supermarket, Gary Stevens is getting ready to check out.

The Gill resident started his career on Jan. 25, 1974, and eight years later became the grocery manager, a position he will retire from on Aug. 31.

“It’s time. I’m getting tired,” he said on Thursday morning. “It’s time to move on to another chapter in my life.”

The 67-year-old said he would like to spend more time with his grandchildren — the oldest of whom works at the supermarket and the youngest of whom he will soon drive to school every morning.

Stevens started working at Foster’s shortly after it moved from Silver Street to Allen Street. He soon met his wife, Doreen, the niece of company founder Frank “Bud” Foster. Stevens graduated high school in 1975 and became the store’s dairy manager. In 1977 he became the store’s truck driver, going to Boston twice a week and making deliveries to local businesses, and was appointed to grocery manager in 1982. He explained that the manager handles all the items that line the shelves in the middle of the store.

“I’m going to miss the people, both the customers and the people I work for,” he said.

Stevens said the supermarket industry has undergone numerous changes over the past 50 years and has been presented with its fair share of challenges, the most recent being the COVID-19 pandemic.

“And people pretty much panicked and wiped us out,” he mentioned.

Stevens recounted a story about buying some 80 cases of toilet paper from the owner of Carsons Cans, a portable toilet company, on a Saturday shortly after the pandemic was declared. He recalled that every roll was sold by the following Friday.

Stevens even drove a truck to Boston to get inventory during the notorious 1978 blizzard.

“I’ll tell you, the biggest surprise was when we came to Route 2. … The snow was over the top of those 10-wheelers. It was that high,” he said. “It was crazy.”

Stevens can look forward to sleeping in during retirement, as the job often entails getting up before the sunrise. He explained that on Mondays and Thursdays he gets up at 3 a.m. to get to the store an hour later, and wakes at 4 a.m. to get there at 5 on Wednesdays. Conversely, he shows up at noon on Fridays, when he is responsible for closing the store.

The longtime employee was recently surprised to see a cardboard cut-out of himself at the front of the produce section, complete with a table with two books customers can sign to congratulate him on his retirement. He laughed as he recalled unexpectedly staring at himself when he turned on the store’s lights one morning.

“He will be greatly missed,” said customer service manager Michael Garber. “Besides the work he’s done here, he’s just such a solid, humble sort of guy and he’s willing to help you out … and just a good, good man.”

Matthew Deane, who co-owns the store with brother Jason Deane, said Stevens has been the most reliable employee the family could have asked for. The Deanes are Foster’s grandsons.

“I’ve known him as long as I can remember,” he said. “He’s been excellent. We’re going to miss him greatly.”

Matthew Deane said he plans to take over grocery manager duties for a couple of months until Stevens’ replacement is chosen.

Reach Domenic Poli at: dpoli@recorder.com or 413-930-4120.