Todos Super Market in Woodbridge Named Winner in Competition

• The following is a press release. It is unedited. 

Todos Super Market, which recently celebrated the grand opening of its Marumsco Plaza grocery store in Woodbridge, n a University of Virginia competition that highlights and promotes the most resilient businesses in economically-challenged parts of the Commonwealth.

“Todos experienced 17 years of successful growth until the turmoil caused in 2007 by the Prince William County ‘Rule of Law’ illegal immigration resolution and the directive that changed it in 2008. We were an active participant in the debate and we continued to invest our resources in the community, even after the downturn that followed. We never gave up on our community, and we are grateful to that community now as we open our new 50,000-square-foot location,” said Carlos A. Castro, president of Todos. “It is an overwhelming honor for Darden and the Tayloe Murphy Center to select us as a Resilience Award winner.”

Todos Super Market celebrates a milestone. It’s only recently that business has returned to levels seen before the foreclosure crisis decimated adjacent neighborhoods.

In an area marked by Latino immigration that has sparked heated debate, founder Carlos Castro has also worked to bridge cultural and community divides. During these tough times, he grew his business by improving efficiency and providing excellent customer service. Now Castro looks to the future, hoping his new anchor store at Marumsco Plaza will play a key role in the revitalization of Route 1 in Woodbridge.

Selected from 88 applicants statewide and a field of 14 finalists, other 2011 Resilience Award winners include Blue Crab Bay Co. in Melfa on the Eastern Shore, MountainRose Vineyards in Wise in the Appalachian Mountains, Highground Services in Franklin in Tidewater and Lindstrand USA in South Boston.

Together, they represent the most resilient businesses in Virginia—those which displayed growth, a dogged entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to community in areas facing high unemployment, high poverty and low entrepreneurial activity.

All 14 finalists were honored last night at a special awards ceremony held at the historic Dome Room at the University of Virginia which included state and local officials, economic development and business leaders  and Darden representatives.

“These winners represent resilience in the classic sense of the word –in the face of some daunting challenges, they have bent but not broken, adapted, and become stronger for their efforts.  With annual double-digit growth rates in profit and employment and a clear commitment to their communities, these main street businesses have accomplished something that anyone interested in business would do well to learn from.  It is our pleasure to be sharing their stories and highlighting their success,” said Greg Fairchild, executive director of the Tayloe Murphy Center.

To help spur economic growth and entrepreneurial efforts in areas of the Commonwealth facing particularly difficult economic challenges, the Tayloe Murphy Resilience Award supports winners through ongoing media coverage, opportunities to engage key business and government leaders and enrollment in a week-long Executive Education course at Darden valued at $8,000–$12,000.

Todos Super Market extends a warm congratulations to all the Resilience Awards winners and finalists including: 

A Bowl of Good Cafe, Inc., Harrisonburg                      

Astyra Corporation, Richmond

Blue Crab Bay Co./Bay Beyond Inc., Melfa

Blue Talon Bistro, Williamsburg

Chateau Morrisette, Inc., Floyd

GearClean, Inc., Winchester

Highground Services, Inc., Franklin

L & R Precision Tooling Inc., Lynchburg

Lindstrand USA, Inc., South Boston

MountainRose Vineyards, Inc., Wise

Office Plus Business Centre, Danville

Southwest Virginia Veterinary Services, Lebanon

Thomas A. Johnson Furniture Company, Lynchburg

Todos Super Market, Woodbridge