Southwest Detroit's Honey Bee Market will close for six days to give employees paid vacation

By Jerilyn Jordan

May 19, 2020 at 10:55 am

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Southwest Detroit's Honey Bee Market will close for six days to give employees paid vacation

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While big-box grocery retailers drag their feet in reluctantly giving their essential workers pay increases and other benefits to help weather the COVID-19 pandemic, Honey Bee La Colmena in Southwest Detroit is giving its “busy bees” a much-needed break.

The meticulously stocked market — and home to copious containers of in-house made guacamole — at 2443 Bagley Ave. will close from Monday, May 25 through Sunday, May 31 to allow employees to rest. The six-day vacation is paid.

“Our Honey Bee family has been very busy bees the last ten weeks working earnestly to restock our shelves, meat counter, and produce as well as keeping Honey Bee clean,” Honey Bee's Facebook reads. “I want to thank our busy bees for their hard work.”

The market, owned by Tammy and Ken Koehler, says its entire staff has stepped up, including part-time workers, who due to the pandemic are now working 40-60 hours a week.

Earlier this month, the Honey Bee team received an essential worker lunch provided by Michigan & Trumbull pizza after being contacted by the New Orleans Saints in lieu of celebrating the NFL's schedule-release day.

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