Business

Work We Do: Susan Malinauskas, Southold IGA

My name is Susan Malinauskas. I work at Southold IGA and I’m a meat wrapper.

I started in 1973. I’m on my third owner. I’ve been here back and forth for 45 years. 

Normal day is I come in in the morning, we bring in the meat that’s bad, discard it and put out new stuff. I go check the display cases and straighten things up.

I was born and raised in Greenport. Graduated Greenport school a long time ago. My parents lived in Greenport all their lives, too. I started working after school, I was looking for a job. A friend of mine got the job here for me. She’s long gone but I’m still here. I’ve worked with my store manager for a long time also. We’re probably like the original ones here.

We have a lot of regulars. I know a lot of people. I’ve met a lot of nice people over the years, and they know me.

My favorite part is the people I’ve worked with over the years. I’ve worked with a lot of people. I’ve worked in the register, I’ve worked in the deli. I’ve done produce. I’ve done everything here. I was deli manager at one time. I’ve just done a lot of work here. My first boss was a very good mentor. I learned everything from him. And I’ve kept it. I’m still very old school, very old-fashioned. If I do something, I do it right, and if it’s not right, I do it again.

I’ve had a good run here. Retirement, maybe soon. I don’t know, maybe not. As long as I feel good and keep going I’ll keep doing this. Hopefully I have a few more good years in me to keep going.

It’s just, I don’t know if my customers will let me go.

“The Work We Do” is a Suffolk Times multimedia project profiling workers on the North Fork. It is made possible by Peconic Landing. See more photos on Instagram @thesuffolktimes.