Clifford
Hawks Produce in Sparta and Elkin are run by Clifford Hawks and his extended family. They basically buy produce wholesale and resell it in smaller retail quantities to the consumer. But, they also sell quite a bit of their own stuff, including daughter Benita's pumpkin and banana breads, son Dave's tomatoes and Clifford's honey.
Now the first time you meet Clifford, some 6 years my senior, you think you have met the quintessential country bumpkin. He wears Pointer Brand overalls over a tee shirt, brogan shoes and any of a number of "gimme" baseball caps. He does nothing in a hurry and can often be found sitting in some corner repackaging one thing or another. Watering the seasonal plants they have for sale. The only thing you never see him do is handle the checkout counter. Blending into the background, you would have no way of knowing he was Da Man.
Over time, we have had many conversations about many things and, in due course I've learned that he is one sharp cookie in both life and business. We are always carrying on about something and of late it has been about not having Jumping-Jack cheese. It's made on a Mennonite farm up in Ohio and is hard to get on a regular basis. But, earlier this week he promised me that he would get me some this Thursday when he went to the produce markets. When I stopped by today, there was no Jumping-Jack in the display case and he was sitting behind the counter grinning.
"Clifford, no Jumping Jack!"
"Yes there is. How much you want?"
He sent David to the cooler to bring out a 20-pound stick he was holding back. I took a third of it.
I was also almost out of sourwood honey and he usually has some around. There were a few unmarked jars out front but they didn't have much sourwood smell to them.
"That your honey, Clifford?"
"Yup. From the bees out back here."
"Doesn't have much sourwood smell to it."
"Well, I done the best I could with it. Now let's see how well you can do with the biscuits!"
After an ensuing discussion of biscuits, I bought the honey also.
Between the cheese, honey, scuppernong grapes (from his vine, of course), tomatoes, peaches, and I forget what else, I asked if the debit card machine was working (sometimes they forget to pay the bill) because the purchase would use all my cash.
At that Clifford breaks out into a huge grin and, without saying a word, reaches into his overalls pocket and pulls out his wad as if to start counting it. Now, folks, wad is the only word to describe that ... that ... wad of money. No, it wasn't a roll of cash. There was entirely too much of it for that. Folded once, it was as thick as a dollar bill is high. And, yes, it contained no singles. All I could do was stand there with my mouth agape as David processed my debit card for $33.
Good cash business, produce.
Stay around Clifford long enough and some of your money will find its way into that wad, too. And, he'll grin all the way to the bank with it!
Oh! Did I mention that Hawk's prices for produce are way lower than at Food Lion and Lowes? It's quite common to see folks in the grocery store and then at Hawks on the way home. Once again, the big boys don't always the lowest prices.
Now the first time you meet Clifford, some 6 years my senior, you think you have met the quintessential country bumpkin. He wears Pointer Brand overalls over a tee shirt, brogan shoes and any of a number of "gimme" baseball caps. He does nothing in a hurry and can often be found sitting in some corner repackaging one thing or another. Watering the seasonal plants they have for sale. The only thing you never see him do is handle the checkout counter. Blending into the background, you would have no way of knowing he was Da Man.
Over time, we have had many conversations about many things and, in due course I've learned that he is one sharp cookie in both life and business. We are always carrying on about something and of late it has been about not having Jumping-Jack cheese. It's made on a Mennonite farm up in Ohio and is hard to get on a regular basis. But, earlier this week he promised me that he would get me some this Thursday when he went to the produce markets. When I stopped by today, there was no Jumping-Jack in the display case and he was sitting behind the counter grinning.
"Clifford, no Jumping Jack!"
"Yes there is. How much you want?"
He sent David to the cooler to bring out a 20-pound stick he was holding back. I took a third of it.
I was also almost out of sourwood honey and he usually has some around. There were a few unmarked jars out front but they didn't have much sourwood smell to them.
"That your honey, Clifford?"
"Yup. From the bees out back here."
"Doesn't have much sourwood smell to it."
"Well, I done the best I could with it. Now let's see how well you can do with the biscuits!"
After an ensuing discussion of biscuits, I bought the honey also.
Between the cheese, honey, scuppernong grapes (from his vine, of course), tomatoes, peaches, and I forget what else, I asked if the debit card machine was working (sometimes they forget to pay the bill) because the purchase would use all my cash.
At that Clifford breaks out into a huge grin and, without saying a word, reaches into his overalls pocket and pulls out his wad as if to start counting it. Now, folks, wad is the only word to describe that ... that ... wad of money. No, it wasn't a roll of cash. There was entirely too much of it for that. Folded once, it was as thick as a dollar bill is high. And, yes, it contained no singles. All I could do was stand there with my mouth agape as David processed my debit card for $33.
Good cash business, produce.
Stay around Clifford long enough and some of your money will find its way into that wad, too. And, he'll grin all the way to the bank with it!
Oh! Did I mention that Hawk's prices for produce are way lower than at Food Lion and Lowes? It's quite common to see folks in the grocery store and then at Hawks on the way home. Once again, the big boys don't always the lowest prices.
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