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Becky Smith
Hatteberg's People
Reporter: Larry Hatteberg
| December 18, 2005--This is a story about what didn’t happen in a small town. For a brief moment in time it appeared Toronto Kansas Might lose its only grocery store. Well, it didn’t happen, because Becky Smith wouldn’t let it. |
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“It’s $3.09.”
Remember when we were kids, our hometown grocery store seemed so big.
“Would you like a sack for that.”
They weren’t. They were just small neighborhood gathering places, but when you are young the memories are pure and forever.
“All right thank you. Bye!” |
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Homer’s Grocery store in Toronto would be in the ‘nostalgia’ column or our memories. But Homer doesn’t run it anymore. He died last year and his long-time employee Becky Smith took it over.
“Ok, 12 cents is your change.” |
“I really enjoy the customers that I have and even the ones that come in from out of town. I enjoy them too.”
For a time, Becky wasn’t sure she could keep it open. But she decided to try.
“I’m doing what Homer wanted done with this store and I feel like it is an honor to him that I am going to continue with the grocery store.”
Toronto without a grocery store meant folks would have to drive either to Eureka or Yates Center to stock up. That would be many miles to drive for an aging population whose finances are never adequate.
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“Now that I know I have the entire town backing me, I’m gonna just stay right where I’m at."
“We are lucky we got her. Most of these little towns don’t have a store anymore.”
Guys like Ed Sharp come in several times a day just to talk.
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“I wish I could get my pickup over at Yates Center.”
“What kind of truck is it?”
“An 82 GMC four –wheel drive.”
Unlike the super stores in the cities, there are just a few items of each product. In the meat cases, Becky still sells Homer’s Pork Chops with that special seasoning….in a old cooler that doesn’t work….are the paper towels.
“We keep them on ice and keep them cool, especially in the Summer time. They get a big kick out of that.”
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“Thank you Betty.”
“Thank you!”
“By working together, it makes things run a whole lot smoother.”
“See you later.
A small success story in a town that needed good news. |
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