Cecil Wilson knows a good thing when he sees it. He has been coming to Hunter’s Store for his morning coffee every day for more than 30 years and has no intention of letting anything stop him.
Recent construction on Pleasant Valley Road may have slowed down his walk a little, but he’s still at Hunter’s every morning.
“Those road work people are so good to me. They just walk me across so I can get my coffee, black with two sugars,” said Wilson, a retired logger and skidder driver.
“And I like to get my scratch tickets. I win $2 sometimes and sometimes I win $10. The people here at the store are so good. I know all of them and pretty well everyone who comes in. I like to say hello to them.”
Laurie Johnson, who has worked at Hunter’s for more than 35 years, said the family business has been in the same location since the 1950s.
Until recently, when the penny was phased out, the store had penny candy and it now has five-cent candy.
“I remember kids coming in and now their kids come in. Even some grandchildren. Cecil is our greeter and he has a smile and a cheerful word for everyone. We like to see him when he comes in and we miss him if he doesn’t come in if he is sick. We hope he continues to come in for a long time,” she said.
The store is a community meeting place and Wilson likes to see his friends there.
“We have coffee and play the Goldrush together and if he wins, he splits it with me and if I win, I split it with him,” said neighbour Phyllis Hanson.
Wilson takes another drink of coffee and smiles.
“We don’t do too bad on the tickets. This is a great store. It has everything. I want to keep coming here for a long time.”
