News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The Tennessee Department of Economic And Community Development is celebrating Pall Mall’s Forbus General Store as a Tennessee business serving the community for over 100 years.
General Manager Clint Hayes said the store began serving the community in 1882 as Pall Mall’s pharmacy, restaurant, and clothing store. Hayes said the recognition has been awesome. He said keeping a business thriving for a century does not come down to a big secret, just hard work.
“A lot of people I didn’t even know, I’ve learned here at the store,” Hayes said. “Met some really good people through the store that come here, and they’re very appreciative of our business and try to help us any way they can.”
Hayes said evolution has been key in keeping the business alive. He said the grandson of the original owner still lives next door to the store and rented out the building before selling it some 12 years ago.
Forbus will host a party with free cake and refreshments on February 6 at 11:30am to celebrate the impressive longevity.
“We are very proud that it’s still going and nothing’s happened to it over the years, and it’s still able to continue to run,” Hayes said. “Very happy to be a part of it.”
Hayes said his mother, Cheryl West purchased the store in 2019, and he has been managing it since 2020. He said when he took over the store in the heart of the COVID-19 pandemic, changes had to be made to keep up with the changing economic landscape. He said prices went up and new products came in to maintain stability. Hayes said with Kentucky shut down in 2020, the store was helped out by an influx of patrons from out of town, many of whom still shop there to this day.
“It’s just always been here,” Hayes said. “People have always come by and got them a cheeseburger and stuff while they’re driving through. We sell fudge, homemade fudge here at the store, and it’s become quite the staple of the area.”
Hayes said the relationship and familiarity with the Pall Mall community is a key contributor to the store reaching the century mark, but those passing through from Indiana, Kentucky, and neighboring counties bring valuable business as well.
“Our community is really small,” Hayes said. “I mean, it’s a lot of farmland. A lot of land for a house, but not much of anything else here to stop at, so if it wasn’t for us, people would have to drive a pretty good ways to get anything.”
