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Century’s Country Bumpkin To Close; New Store Coming To Location

February 23, 2009

Longtime Century business Country Bumpkin is closing to make way for a new retail business in the same location.

Country Bumpkin owner Terri Sanders has announced that she is closing her doors with an inventory reduction beginning today. The Country Bumpkin’s last day will be March 31, making way for a new thrift store by May 1.

St. Vincent de Paul will open a thrift store in the County Bumpkin building on North Century Boulevard. The Catholic organization operates four other thrift stores in the Pensacola area. Sanders will be the store manager for the CenturySt. Vincent de Paul store.

“It was really an answered prayer,” Sanders said. After years of self employment and long hours at the Country Bumpkin, she said she is looking forward to working a regular schedule.

“Here I am, going to get to do something different,” she said. “But this will be great. I’ll still be in retail, and still in Century. I like the small town thing, asking how people are and about their grand babies.”

She said with the economy and changing times, business had slowed at here crafts store.

“Times have changed. This was the first year that I could remember that someone did not stop in to by their child’s teacher a present for Christmas,” she said. “Things are just different. Money is tight. That’s why a thrift store will do so well.”

The Country Bumpkin opened in 1991 as a crafts and collectibles store. Sanders closed it in 2001 and took some time off to hike the Appalachian Trail from Georgia to Maine to raise funds for the Rotary International Polio Plus Program. Her walk raised over $5,000 for the program. She reopened the store in July of 2006. She opened the Tea Room inside the store in February of last year. She is active in the Tri City Rotary Club, the Health and Hope Clinic in Pensacola and the American Red Cross.

Sanders and her Country Bumpkin were named the Century Outstanding Business of the Year last year by the Century Chamber of Commerce.

Sanders will be leasing the Country Bumpkin portion of her building to St. Vincent de Paul for the thrift store. She will keep the commercial kitchen portion of the store, where she will continue to make fudge and bread to sell at craft shows and farmer’s markets.

Her biggest problem, she said, will be adjusting to a regular job with regular hours and a regular paycheck.

“I don’t know what I am going to do when the doors close at five in the afternoon,” Sanders said. “I won’t be working until 10 or 11 at night. I’m going to start a garden, I think. And finish my book.”

Sanders has been working on a book that chronicles her 2003 Appalachian Trail hike.

The Country Bumpkin will begin a liquidation sale today, and lower prices each Monday as the March 31 closing date draws closer. The store is located at 7850 North Century Boulevard.

The Society of St. Vincent de Paul is an international organization with a mission to help the poor and homeless. Their thrift stores are a way of raising money to accomplish that mission.

Pictured top: The Country Bumpkin in Century will be closing at the end of March. Pictured middle: Terri Sanders receives the Outstanding Business of the Year award from the Century Chamber of Commerce last year. Pictured below: Sanders (in yellow) opened the Tea Room inside the Country Bumpkin in February of 2008. NorthEscambia.com file photos, click to enlarge.

Comments

2 Responses to “Century’s Country Bumpkin To Close; New Store Coming To Location”

Ashley. on February 24th, 2009 12:29 pm

She Is A Great Lady. Having grown up in the Country Bumpkin, I’m really gonna miss the store. But I’m glad the building isnt going to waste.
Country Bumpkins.
Nana, I Love You.

Hope All Is Good With The New Thrift Store.
Nikki on February 23rd, 2009 6:57 am

Terri has done much for the community. She is a great lady.

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under News