Newspaper Page Text
Page 10A
The Braselton News
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Social
Popular produce store succumbs to road construction
Just about everybody who
regularly travels the Winder
Highway considers Hulsey’s
Produce in Chestnut
Mountain a roadside icon
and a long-time magnet for
grocery shoppers in search
of that fresh-from-the-gar-
den taste in fruit, vegetables, honey
and homemade preserves.
But no thanks to on-going road
construction and resulting limited
customer access to this long-pop
ular store, Bobby Hulsey recently
announced plans to close the busi
ness on Halloween, after enduring
plummeting sales for more than a
year.
On a recent “Honey Do” visit
to pick up some fresh okra and
squash for my wife, I found Hulsey
a changed man from a normal
ly cheerful and upbeat business
owner with that Will Rogers, “I
never met a man I didn’t like” per
sona. He seemed really beat down
by government bureaucracy and
was quick to criticize a few elected
officials he blamed for keeping his
store on death row so long.
And although he said he active
ly campaigned for now-Lt. Gov.
Casey Cagle for 16 years, I got the
distinct impression that he’s not
likely to do it again.
“We were friends for such
a long time, I really thought I
could count on Casey to help me
when the Georgia Department of
Transportation (DOT) failed to put
in a temporary access drive in front
of my business as they did for so
many others in Oakwood,” Hulsey
said. “But when they (DOT) start
ed work on the section of road to
which it was directly and conve
niently connected in the past, they
cut me off completely. Customers
couldn’t figure out how to get
safely in or out and, when they did,
they had to take a two-block detour
on dirt and loose gravel.”
Yet, in all fairness to our lieu
tenant governor, State Rep. James
Mills, State Sen. Lee Hawkins,
and Georgia Transportation board
In Focus
with Fil
Fil Jessee
filwrites@aol.com
chairman Mike Evens, all contact
ed by Hulsey in his plea for help,
did return calls but generally not in
the timely manner he expected.
“It was two and a half months
before Casey Cagle sent former
South Hall Commissioner Dennis
Pitts to see my dilemma first hand
and, then, he (Pitts) agreed that my
situation was not acceptable. And
it was at least two to three months
before Rep. Mills even returned
my call,” Hulsey said.
Add to this the fact that, during
the prolonged drought, both cars
and heavy construction equipment
covered both the fresh produce
and the customers’ cars with drift
ing dust, and it’s easy to see why
Hulsey’s business got caught in a
death spiral.
“In August, my business dropped
to half of what it was last year,
and by the end of September it
was down by two thirds,” Hulsey
reported.
Prior to the on-set of road con
struction, Hulsey’s Produce enjoyed
six years of steady growth.
But soon after the DOT final
ized plans to widen Highway 53,
Hulsey had to abandon his original
location on the other side of the
road and relocate to his present
address next door to the Chestnut
Mountain Church.
“The money I was paid for my
old store was considerably less
than it cost me to reopen at my
present location,” he said, further
explaining that fresh produce has a
short shelf life.
“This is not such a problem for
other businesses affected by the
road construction, especially those
that sell hard goods or services,”
he added.
When I asked Hulsey if he
LOCAL ICON
Bobby Hulsey is shown with his store’s final assortment of
decorative fall produce. Hulsey’s Produce on Hwy. 53 in Chestnut
Mountain will close on Halloween, after battling road changes in
the area.
planned to set up in another loca
tion, he said no.
“It would cost me around
$130,000 to re-establish my busi
ness elsewhere, and I’ve lost way
too much to handle that. But what
I probably will do is seek legal
counsel to see if there isn’t some
way I can recoup all the money
I’ve lost as a result of being forced
out of business,” he said.
Locals will always remember
Bobby Hulsey not only for the
quality of his produce but, also, for
his generous nature.
Over the years, he has purchased
ads in school publications, given
discounts to various charities, and
donated food to a number of area
fund-raising events. However, as
business declined so severely, he
was forced to cut back on his gen
erosity.
Yet, in spite of this period of
business hardship, Hulsey never
completely lost his sense of humor.
When I asked him what he planned
to do during his store’s final days,
he quipped “I’d like to spend my
time campaigning against the
elected officials who didn’t help
Diagnostic Clinic, United Healthcare reach agreement
The Northeast Georgia Diagnostic
Clinic, Gainesville, recently
reached an agreement in principle
with United Healthcare of Georgia
to continue its business relation
ship, according to the clinic.
In May, the Diagnostic Clinic
notified patients of the impending
challenges with United Healthcare
of Georgia and in early September,
the clinic notified patients and
media of its intent to terminate its
relationship with United Healthcare
of Georgia effective at year’s end.
“We were obligated to notify
approximately 4,500 patients
that our negotiations with United
Healthcare had reached an impasse,
and the timing of our decision
was made to ensure these patients
would have ample time to make an
informed decision on their health
care coverage,” said the clinic’s
chief financial officer, Emmett
Forrester.
“Out of abundant respect for
these patients, including a large
number of state employees that
United Healthcare insures, we con
tinued our negotiations in an effort
to reach a new agreement,” he
said.
Northeast Georgia Diagnostic
Clinic is the region’s second larg
est multi-specialty medical practice
with 28 physicians and a profes-
I
Come see
DON HIX
New And Used Car Sales Rep.
at the
Presidential Award Winning
Jefferson Motor Co., Inc.
Jefferson Motor Co., Inc
“Since 1922”
FORD
141 Lee Street
Jefferson, GA 30549
Jefferson: 367-5217
Braselton: 706-654-1128
Atlanta: 404-523-5738
E-mail: JeffersonMotorCo.com
me.”
Passing by Hulsey’s Produce
on the street, you’d never know
the place is set to shut down on
Halloween. Amid all the dirt and
grime of construction, it’ still a
colorful oasis of pumpkins, corn
stalks, and potted mums in full
bloom and, inside, the place is still
well stocked with tasty fruits and
vegetables.
But the scent of Hulsey’s fresh
evergreens when Christmas tree
season arrives will only be remem
bered as a thing of the past. Do
you think the Grinch that stole
Christmas got a job with the state
department of transportation?
We’ll all miss you, Bobby. Good
luck and thanks for giving our
community a lot of great taste and
happy memories.
Fil Jessee lives in Braselton,
where he works as a freelance
journalist. He can be reached at
filwrites@aol.com.
MR. AND MRS. BORDERS
60th anniversary celebrated
Mr. and Mrs. Jack Borders, Commerce, recently celebrated their 60 th
wedding anniversary.
In honor of the occasion, they were recognized by their pastor, Dr.
James Merritt, and the members of their adult class at Cross Pointe
Church on Sunday, September 9. They also celebrated this occasion with
a dinner given in honor by their children and grandchildren.
After over 50 years of service to C.C. Dickson, Inc., Mr. Borders is
retired and enjoys gardening and woodworking. Mrs. Borders was a
beautician for many years and recently served at Peachtree Village.
Their children and grandchildren say, “Thank you for your devotion to
each other, your love and unfailing kindness to others, and we want you
to know you are our greatest blessing here on earth.”
Need Printing?
Call 706-367-5233
sional staff of 170 employees.
“Many patients contacted us to
express concern and rightfully so,”
said Dr. J. Randall Thomas, presi
dent of the clinic. “We did not
expect to close any door to negotia
tions with United Healthcare, and
we’re pleased for the patients who
are insured with United Healthcare
that our negotiations ended suc
cessfully,” he said.
“Our staff will advise our patients
promptly,” he added.
Negotiations improved when Jeff
Antolik, United Healthcare’s new
vice-president of network manage
ment, became involved, according
to the clinic.
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The Wound Care Center Team
The Barrow Regional Medical Center
Wound Care Center
A True Story from The Wound Care Center at Barrow
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Ernest Barker has lived with diabetes (type II) for 20 years. He has kept up his doctor visits while living with this
illness and maintains a regular treatment routine of insulin and diet.
This summer, Mr. Barker found a small blister on his foot from his golf shoes, and he tried to treat it himself.
Because of his diabetes, the blister worsened.
His family physician referred him to Barrow Regional Medical Center’s Wound Care Center, and the trusty
hands of Dr. Christopher Brandys, general and vascular surgeon on staff.
“Within the first day of treatment, I could see an improvement,” said Mr. Barker. Everyday, I could see the
healing taking place.”
Small wounds like the ones that Mr. Barker had will worsen if you have diabetes because extremities like your
hands and feet are farther away from your heart, and are not getting the circulation they need to heal properly.
The Wound Care Center at Barrow Regional Medical Center has a board-certified surgeon, Dr. Christopher
Brandys, on staff to take care of you. The most common wounds that come in are pressure wounds such as
bed sores, venus ulcers, non-healing diabetic wounds like the one Mr. Barker had, and even spider and insect
bites.
“I thought I would have to go to Atlanta for this type of treatment - We are lucky to have this wound care center
and a surgeon like Dr. Brandys in Winder!” - Ernest Barker, patient, Wound Care Center
Dr. Brandys has been in Winder since August 2003. He has over twenty years of experience in surgery and
wound care and provides quality care with respect and compassion.
Dr. Brandys’ Education & Certifications
Medical School & Residency completed at: Dalhousie University
Board Certified by the American Board of Surgery
F.R.C.S. - Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons
F.A.C.S. - Fellow of the American College of Surgeons
Wound Care Center - 770-307-5348 • Barrow Regional Medical Center, 1st Floor • Hours: Wednesday, 9am-12 noon
316 North Broad Street • Winder • www.barrowregional.com