Nicholson’s Grocery in Turtletown has closed its doors, which will soon be opened as Hometown Foods IGA. As Betty Nicholson retires from decades of providing groceries, Ed and Lisa Vest, owners of Hometown Foods in McCaysville, will be expanding their services.

Reed (Monk) Nicholson will continue to operate Nicholson’s General Merchandise store just across Hwy. 68 from the grocery store, which moved to the new location 16 years ago. Nicholson’s Store has been in operation since 1944, when it was opened by Ray Nicholson, Monk’s father. Betty and Monk bought it 33 years ago.

Betty Nicholson, now 75, said she had decided it’s time to begin taking it easy and taking better care of herself after so many years. She said she had a stroke a year ago and can’t seem to get over it, even though she cut back to working “just” ten and a half hours a day, six days a week. Before that, she normally worked 12-13 hours a day.

“I feel very sad and hate to leave it,” she said on her last day at the store. “I will miss everybody, playing with the babies, and watching the kids grow up.” She said she can remember many of her customers when they were children. One guy, she said, is now a grandfather, but she remembers helping take care of him as a child. “It’s been some experience,” Nicholson said, adding there are too many memories to single any out. “Life’s been good,” she said, adding she has always tried to help people even though she never had time to get involved in community organizations.

She knows the closing of Nicholsons will have an impact on the community because she was the only store that allowed people to charge their groceries and make monthly payments. Those who owe the thousands of dollars outstanding will be able to continue making payments at Monk’s store, she said.

While she’s sad to be leaving the store, Nicholson said, there are things she won’t miss – like washing meat towels every night and getting up early every morning, although she suspects she’ll still do that. She will be able to spend some time at home for the first time in years. She has fix-up projects in mind, as well as canning, painting and going through drawers full of things the kids (now 50-54) did in school.. She might even be able to visit her daughters, one in D. C. and one in Kentucky. Son Rick is still in the area.

While Nicholson looks forward to doing things at home, Ed and Lisa Vest are looking forward to a new venture. Lisa said they are especially excited about having more room at the Turtletown location than at the former A&P location in McCaysville. On Monday, they were on the way to sign the papers for the new IGA . Remodeling is to begin later this week, and they hope to be open around Aug. 25 if everything proceeds as expected. She said they don’t anticipate a lot of changes, although IGA brands will be available they will be adding price scanners and other IGA requirements.

Vest said they will probably have around 20 full and part time employees eventually, adding they will be hiring locally. Nicholson’s employees who choose to stay will be offered a job, she said.

“We’re real excited about it and hope it will do well and help the local economy,” she said. “This is a big step for us.” They are in the process of doing required paperwork for a Tennessee business and food stamps in Tennessee. Once it all comes together, she said, they will be having a grand opening, but the doors will hopefully be opened by the end of August.