Matthew H. Kirk

Class of 2005

Born on March 7, 1950, in Lynn, MA, Matt married Linda in 1994. He has two children, Matt and Meridith, and one grandson, Brian.

At the time of his induction, he served as Senior Director of Purchasing for the convenience group at Brooks Pharmacy. Throughout his 38-year career, he has focused on merchandising and buying for drug store chains. As a teenager, he worked at an IGA owned by his brothers in-law.

“I guess I was meant to be in this business. My father was a store manager for A&P before WWII and my 90-year-old aunt retired from Woolworth. She would bring us the different kinds of candy they had for the holidays. It seems she sparked my interest in seasonal candy,” he says.

In 1969 he joined Purity Supreme Supermarket as a stock boy, working his way up to store manager. In 1980 he transferred to the chain’s Heartland Drug division where he was responsible for new store merchandising before becoming a buyer.

In 1987, Matt moved to Maxi Drug, which now operates the Brooks and Eckerd chains. There he purchased or oversaw the candy and convenience categories for 17 years.

When buying, Matt keeps an open mind, and recommends other buyers do the same. “Both vendors and buyers should be open to show and see all products,” he says. “You might not like it, but your customer might. Let the customer tell you what they want to buy, not what you want them to buy.”

For his efforts, Matt has been honored with the Boston Confectionery Salesman Club’s Person of the Year Award, and in 2004 picked up an Outstanding Achievement Award from Professional Candy Buyer magazine, the industry’s leading trade journal.

Matt is a Red Sox, Patriots and NASCAR fan and enjoys collecting classic candy and sports memorabilia.