Warren Buffett and Charlie Munger worked at the same store, yet met years later — Investing icon pens emotional note
Warren Buffett, the titan of global finance, is stepping down as CEO of Berkshire Hathaway after six decades. In his emotional farewell letter to shareholders, the iconic investor reflected on his life and career and recalled the places and people who made a deep impression on him.
Needless to say, Charlie Munger, Buffett’s ‘best friend’ for 64 years, found a place in his letter, albeit at the top of the list of influential people.
In his letter to shareholders, Buffett recalled how he met his lifelong friend and colleague at Berkshire Hathaway, Charlie Munger, and built an empire together.
Warren Buffett misses being friends with Charlie Munger
Warren Buffett shared that Charlie Munger lived just a block away from his home in the 1930s.
“I’ll start with Charlie Munger, my best friend of 64 years. In the 1930s, Charlie lived a block away from the house I owned and lived in since 1958,” Buffett said in his letter to shareholders.
The global finance icon, who will step down as Berkshire CEO in January 2026, shared how he jumped at the chance to befriend Munger while working at Buffett’s family grocery store in the 1940s.
“In the beginning, I really missed being friends with Charlie. Charlie, who was 6.5 years older than me, was working at my grandfather’s grocery store in the summer of 1940, earning $2 a 10-hour day. (Savings are in Buffett’s blood),” he said.
They did not meet until 1959.
“The following year I worked a similar job at the store, but I never met Charlie until 1959, when he was 35 and I was 28,” Buffett said.
Charlie Munger’s impact on Warren Buffett’s life
Even though he moved to California, Buffett said Charlie Munger always talked about his years in Omaha.
“After serving in World War II, Charlie graduated from Harvard Law School and then moved to California permanently. But Charlie has always said his early years in Omaha were room for improvement,” said the Berkshire Hathaway CEO.
Buffett shared Munger’s impact on his life, adding that they never argued.
“For over 60 years, Charlie had a huge impact on me and I could not have asked for a better teacher and protective ‘big brother.’ We had our differences but we never argued. “‘I told you so’ wasn’t in his vocabulary,” he said.
Charlie Munger, whom Warren Buffett called his best friend, passed away in 2023 at the age of 99.
Charles Thomas Munger was vice chairman of Berkshire Hathaway from 1978 until the day he died.
