The Willows Market is using VoriOS with Marketing & Loyalty tools.
Bottom Line
By switching from NCR ScanMaster to Vori:
+9.7% in Total Net Sales
+10.7% Basket Size
+13.5% Order Count
"It was the best decision I've made in the last 20 years."
Nick, Owner
Main Vendors: UNFI, Supervalu, Good Stuff
A Local Legacy in Menlo Park
The Willows Market has been a Menlo Park staple since 1956, evolving alongside its vibrant neighborhood. For the past 19 years, owner Nick Sharma has poured his heart into building a true community hub that’s known for its specialty wines, 1,000+ craft beers, artisan foods, and even a brisket that locals rave about.
Cart Full of Problems
But behind the scenes, things weren’t so smooth. Outdated NCR POS software and clunky hardware made even the simplest tasks — like printing labels or reconciling a register — frustrating and time-consuming.
"Before, simple things were tedious. When simple things are tedious, you lose money."
Nick, Owner
From Skeptic to Superfan
When Vori’s team first introduced their all-in-one POS, Nick was skeptical. After all, legacy players like NCR had dominated the space for decades. “I thought, how could a young startup possibly build a full POS system? It sounded crazy.”
Still, when his old system fell out of compliance and the next upgrade path looked like another expensive headache, Nick decided to take a chance on Vori. The installation took less than three hours, and within minutes his team was up and running.
Nick points out that independents often carry deep skepticism. “Independent grocers are suspicious of grocery software — for good reason. We’ve been misled for a long time and invested a lot of time and money into hardware and software that didn’t serve us right. That’s why it matters when another grocer tells you: trust me, this one actually works."
"It matters when another grocer tells you: trust me, this one actually works. Now we’re superfans of Vori."
Nick, Owner
Vori's Fresh Take
Loyalty That Drives Growth
The feature that won Nick over? Vori’s integrated loyalty program. Customers earn points for every dollar spent, redeemable for discounts or even local merch. “People are serious about their points,” Nick laughs. “They’re coming in more often, buying more items, and the rewards make it easy to say thank you to our best customers.”
"People are serious about their points"
Nick, Owner
In just 16 months, the impact has been measurable: +9.7% more sales, +10.7% basket size, and +13.5% order count.
Protecting Margins, Protecting the Business
Every independent grocer knows the sinking feeling of discovering an item is priced below cost. “One day you realize you’re selling a chocolate bar for $3.99 when you paid $4.70 for it,” Nick says. “That feeling sucks."
"Protecting margin is the most basic function of a grocery store — and with Vori, it finally became simple."
Nick, Owner
Instead of tedious manual updates, Willows Market staff can now scan items with handhelds, adjust pricing instantly, and apply changes across similar products. “If the price goes up on one candy bar, I can find the related items and update them all at once,” Sean explains. “It saves time and keeps us from losing money.”
By making margin protection fast and foolproof, Vori not only reduces errors but ensures The Willows Market stays profitable while offering fair prices to customers.
Saving Time, Cutting Manual Work
For Nick and Sean, time savings have been just as important as revenue growth.
"With our old system, even something as basic as printing a label was a 30-minute ordeal."
Nick, Owner
Nick says, “Now anyone can scan, update a price, and print tags in seconds. It protects our margins and keeps the shelves moving.”
Sean sees the difference daily: “I can walk an entire aisle with the handheld in under half an hour. Before, I’d waste hours running back and forth to the front. Even receipt paper use is down by 70% because many customers don't want a paper receipt. It saves time, money, and the environment.”
These efficiencies free up staff to focus on what matters most: helping customers and curating unique products that make The Willows Market special.
Easy Training for Everyone
For Nick, one of the biggest surprises was how quickly his team adapted. “Our cashiers actually enjoy using it,” he says.
"Training is a piece of cake — my 16-year-old daughter was comfortable on the register in under an hour."
Nick, Owner
Sean, the Operations Manager, saw the same thing with new hires: “Helen learned it in less than two hours. It’s just way easier for everyone.”
Even the most seasoned cashier, who Nick expected to resist change, picked it up quickly and provided positive feedback. For a team that once struggled with tedious, outdated systems, the shift to intuitive, modern tools was immediate.
Support That Cares
Equally transformative has been the support. “With Vori, I pick up the phone and a real person answers — always. They’ll even send me quick video tutorials I can share with my staff. It’s world-class,” says Nick.
Sean has seen the same: “They’re always patient, even if it’s something small like helping me fix a dimmed screen. It’s so nice to actually talk to someone right away. They never judge — they just solve the problem.”
"The support experience has been world class."
Nick, Owner
Modern Tools, Renewed Energy
Today, Nick says the store feels completely different. “Before, I dreaded being at the register. Now, the hardware is clean and minimal, the interface is beautiful, and it’s fun to use.”
That shift has reinvigorated him personally, too.
"I had started to lose steam after nearly two decades. But Vori gave me new energy — for the store, for the community, and for myself."
Nick, Owner
Looking Ahead
Nick isn’t rushing to open more stores — The Willows Market is one-of-a-kind — but for the first time, he feels confident that expansion would be simple with Vori. “If I found the right neighborhood, I know we could replicate this success.”
For now, his focus is on making The Willows Market even more of a community hub, powered by intuitive tech that helps independents thrive.
"If you want to make your life easier and make more money, try Vori. It’ll be one of the best decisions you’ll ever make."
Nick, Owner
Visit The Willows Market
📍 60 Middlefield Rd, Menlo Park, CA 94025
🕗 Daily: 7 AM – 9 PM
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Hear what customers are saying
The Willows Market is using VoriOS with Marketing & Loyalty tools.
Bottom Line
By switching from NCR ScanMaster to Vori:
+9.7% in Total Net Sales
+10.7% Basket Size
+13.5% Order Count
"It was the best decision I've made in the last 20 years."
Nick, Owner
Main Vendors: UNFI, Supervalu, Good Stuff
A Local Legacy in Menlo Park
The Willows Market has been a Menlo Park staple since 1956, evolving alongside its vibrant neighborhood. For the past 19 years, owner Nick Sharma has poured his heart into building a true community hub that’s known for its specialty wines, 1,000+ craft beers, artisan foods, and even a brisket that locals rave about.
Cart Full of Problems
But behind the scenes, things weren’t so smooth. Outdated NCR POS software and clunky hardware made even the simplest tasks — like printing labels or reconciling a register — frustrating and time-consuming.
"Before, simple things were tedious. When simple things are tedious, you lose money."
Nick, Owner
From Skeptic to Superfan
When Vori’s team first introduced their all-in-one POS, Nick was skeptical. After all, legacy players like NCR had dominated the space for decades. “I thought, how could a young startup possibly build a full POS system? It sounded crazy.”
Still, when his old system fell out of compliance and the next upgrade path looked like another expensive headache, Nick decided to take a chance on Vori. The installation took less than three hours, and within minutes his team was up and running.
Nick points out that independents often carry deep skepticism. “Independent grocers are suspicious of grocery software — for good reason. We’ve been misled for a long time and invested a lot of time and money into hardware and software that didn’t serve us right. That’s why it matters when another grocer tells you: trust me, this one actually works."
"It matters when another grocer tells you: trust me, this one actually works. Now we’re superfans of Vori."
Nick, Owner
Vori's Fresh Take
Loyalty That Drives Growth
The feature that won Nick over? Vori’s integrated loyalty program. Customers earn points for every dollar spent, redeemable for discounts or even local merch. “People are serious about their points,” Nick laughs. “They’re coming in more often, buying more items, and the rewards make it easy to say thank you to our best customers.”
"People are serious about their points"
Nick, Owner
In just 16 months, the impact has been measurable: +9.7% more sales, +10.7% basket size, and +13.5% order count.
Protecting Margins, Protecting the Business
Every independent grocer knows the sinking feeling of discovering an item is priced below cost. “One day you realize you’re selling a chocolate bar for $3.99 when you paid $4.70 for it,” Nick says. “That feeling sucks."
"Protecting margin is the most basic function of a grocery store — and with Vori, it finally became simple."
Nick, Owner
Instead of tedious manual updates, Willows Market staff can now scan items with handhelds, adjust pricing instantly, and apply changes across similar products. “If the price goes up on one candy bar, I can find the related items and update them all at once,” Sean explains. “It saves time and keeps us from losing money.”
By making margin protection fast and foolproof, Vori not only reduces errors but ensures The Willows Market stays profitable while offering fair prices to customers.
Saving Time, Cutting Manual Work
For Nick and Sean, time savings have been just as important as revenue growth.
"With our old system, even something as basic as printing a label was a 30-minute ordeal."
Nick, Owner
Nick says, “Now anyone can scan, update a price, and print tags in seconds. It protects our margins and keeps the shelves moving.”
Sean sees the difference daily: “I can walk an entire aisle with the handheld in under half an hour. Before, I’d waste hours running back and forth to the front. Even receipt paper use is down by 70% because many customers don't want a paper receipt. It saves time, money, and the environment.”
These efficiencies free up staff to focus on what matters most: helping customers and curating unique products that make The Willows Market special.
Easy Training for Everyone
For Nick, one of the biggest surprises was how quickly his team adapted. “Our cashiers actually enjoy using it,” he says.
"Training is a piece of cake — my 16-year-old daughter was comfortable on the register in under an hour."
Nick, Owner
Sean, the Operations Manager, saw the same thing with new hires: “Helen learned it in less than two hours. It’s just way easier for everyone.”
Even the most seasoned cashier, who Nick expected to resist change, picked it up quickly and provided positive feedback. For a team that once struggled with tedious, outdated systems, the shift to intuitive, modern tools was immediate.
Support That Cares
Equally transformative has been the support. “With Vori, I pick up the phone and a real person answers — always. They’ll even send me quick video tutorials I can share with my staff. It’s world-class,” says Nick.
Sean has seen the same: “They’re always patient, even if it’s something small like helping me fix a dimmed screen. It’s so nice to actually talk to someone right away. They never judge — they just solve the problem.”
"The support experience has been world class."
Nick, Owner
Modern Tools, Renewed Energy
Today, Nick says the store feels completely different. “Before, I dreaded being at the register. Now, the hardware is clean and minimal, the interface is beautiful, and it’s fun to use.”
That shift has reinvigorated him personally, too.
"I had started to lose steam after nearly two decades. But Vori gave me new energy — for the store, for the community, and for myself."
Nick, Owner
Looking Ahead
Nick isn’t rushing to open more stores — The Willows Market is one-of-a-kind — but for the first time, he feels confident that expansion would be simple with Vori. “If I found the right neighborhood, I know we could replicate this success.”
For now, his focus is on making The Willows Market even more of a community hub, powered by intuitive tech that helps independents thrive.
"If you want to make your life easier and make more money, try Vori. It’ll be one of the best decisions you’ll ever make."
Nick, Owner
Visit The Willows Market
📍 60 Middlefield Rd, Menlo Park, CA 94025
🕗 Daily: 7 AM – 9 PM
Hear what customers are saying
Take the next step and see VoriOS in action
See if VoriOS is a good fit for your store. Schedule a virtual demo or talk to our sales team.
