Dot's Market new owner started as 16-year-old bag boy

As a 16-year-old bag boy at Dot’s Market in Kettering, Nick Moshos knew he wanted to own a business. Eleven years later he traded in his spot at the end of checkout lanes for an office designated for the store’s owner.

The now 27-year-old Wright State University graduate is the new owner of the Kettering Dot’s Market grocery store at 2274 Patterson Road.

"Dot's has been there for 68 years, and I want it to be there another 68 years…You've got to have a person before you have a company, and (Moshos) is that person," said Rob Bernhard, Jr., who sold the store to his long-time employee.

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The ownership is the only change customers of the store can expect aside from advancement, Moshos said. He’s working with Bernhard to keep the store up-to-speed on digital trends popular among today’s shoppers.

“The internet is the future, so I’m working hard on social media now, online shopping…We’re working on getting the store a lot more digital,” Moshos said.

That includes a new loyalty program, online shopping options and increasing the store’s full-service grocery delivery program. The company delivered before many of the big grocery players, beginning with same-day service decades ago. Delivery drivers for Dot’s put groceries away in customers’ homes as well.

"That's the biggest asset he has is his ability to adapt to technology and the newer generation to the newer clientele. We're still dealing with the baby boomers, but the new generation coming up are who we have to cater to now," Bernhard said.

Bernhard, who served as a mentor to Moshos, retains ownership of the Bellbrook store at 118 W. Franklin St. As he ages, Bernhard said he's looking at retirement and always knew his goal was to retire to Bellbrook's 6.5 acres that include a storage facility and small strip mall along with the Dot's store.

Bernhard watched Moshos grow from his first job as a bag boy, into management during his college years. Throughout the 11 years as an employee of the store, Bernhard said Moshos showed work ethic, reliability and dedication.

“I know his parents, that’s always a strong indicator. I know where he came from and what he was all about…He’s a hard worker. He talks to people; he understands people and what it means to be in customer service,” Bernhard said.

The young entrepreneur paid his way through college with his Dot’s paychecks, Moshos said. He graduated from Wright State in 2017 with a bachelor’s’s degree in human resources. He had several job interviews, but found himself back at Dot’s inquiring about buying the store instead.

"I wanted to go into business myself and what better place than Dot's Market — a place I know like the back of my hand," Moshos said … Every customer that walks through the door you know the face and you know a lot of them by name, and its just great. It's everybody I've seen in my local neighborhood growing up."