Four days a week, Max Richards pulls on his uniform and heads onto the shop floor at PAK’nSAVE Napier, where he works part-time as a grocery assistant.
As the oldest employee across PAK’nSAVE and New World stores, Richards has been with the Napier store for 18 years. He helps customers find what they’re looking for, keeps shelves in order, and often stops for a chat with people who know him by name.
He started at 70, long after most people have retired and took on the role of security guard, a job he held for 15 years.
“I was good at reading people. You get a sense when something’s not quite right. Mostly though, it was about being respectful and helpful.”
He quickly became a familiar and trusted presence at the front of the store: calm, observant and always polite.
When new technologies, including facial recognition systems, were introduced, Richards decided it was time for a change.
“So I moved into grocery. And I love it. I get to help customers and stay active. I plan to keep working for as long as I can.”
Now part of the grocery team, Richards is known for walking customers directly to the product they’re looking for rather than pointing down an aisle, and for quietly helping younger team members learn the ropes.
Colleagues described him as chatty, humble, helpful, and incredibly fit, and PAK’nSAVE Napier owner-operator Sonya Hasselman said Richard’s impact extended well beyond his work.
“He’s genuinely one of a kind. He’s committed, hardworking and adored by customers,” she said.
“He remembers everyone, brings energy to every shift, and he’s always the first to help. Our team is better because Max is part of it.”
Before joining PAK’nSAVE Napier, Richards had a career spanning sales, marketing, business ownership, and even bricklaying. In his younger years, he raced classic sports cars and still speaks fondly of his Triumph TR2 and Austin-Healey 100-S.
Richards will turn 89 next month and credited staying mentally and physically active for his longevity.
Outside of work, Richards enjoys walking, spending time with family and heading to the pub on a Friday afternoon for a beer. Retirement, he said, held little appeal.
