You can drink hair gel and drive
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I say that because since O.C. passed away last month, I haven’t been to the barber. And it’s finally beginning to show.
I need a haircut, but I’m currently stuck at an emotional crossroads as to where to go because finding the right barber is no easy task. I figure besides buying a house and buying a car, selecting a barber is the third biggest consumer choice most people make in life.
Since I’m not yet ready to jump into this decision, I’ve decided to fudge it a little. I’ve gone out and purchased some of that hair gel stuff that’s made for men. And don’t worry, I was discrete so no one saw me buying it. If the cashier asked, I was going to say it was for my brother.
Well I get this hair gel home and I notice in big, bold letters it states that my hair gel is “alcohol free.” At first, I felt an enormous sense of relief. But the more I got to thinking about it, this disclaimer tells me two things:
1) Somewhere in this world there must have been an idiot who picked up a six pack of hair gel and tried to get drunk. Realizing this is not a good thing, the company decided to clearly print on the outside of the bottle that the hair gel is alcohol free, thus eliminating the temptation to drink hair gel at social events.
2) Someone out there is seriously concerned about the sobriety of my hair.
Either way I can proudly stand up and say I am not contributing to the decay of society because I use hair gel which is alcohol free. You don’t have to worry about some teenager drinking my hair gel and then running off the road because I am a responsible adult.
As for other things not hair related, I have to tell you about a story that ran across the Associated Press wire last week. It tells of a Covington, Ga., woman who tried to use a counterfeit $1 million bill to by merchandise at Wal-Mart.
The woman, Alice Regina Pike, 35, tried to use the bill to buy $1,675 worth of merchandise. Her elaborate plan was foiled when the alert Wal-Mart cashier realized the $1 million bill was fake and called security.
What I want to know is how Pike, even if she had been drinking hair gel all day, would have ever thought her plan would work. Even if the cashier accepted the $1 million bill, Pike would have been due $998,325 in change. Did she really think the cashier was going to whip that out of her drawer?
Hubert Hillis Grocery bustling with activity again
The store stood vacant for several months, but there’s once again lunch-counter life at Depot Bottom. The store which operated for years as Hubert Hillis Grocery is now called Depot Bottom Country Store and is under the ownership of Mike Crowe.
“I feel like I’m saving a little bit of Warren County history,” said Mike. “A lot of the old-timers are coming back and I’m having a blast hearing all the stories about this place.”
Mike says he has always enjoyed spending time in country stores. He said growing up in Beersheba Springs, a man named Mitchell Hobbs operated a country store across the street from his home. Mike said he would hang out at the store quite a bit, especially as a teenager.
“When I walked in this store, I fell in love with it,” said Mike. “It took me back to the days when I was a boy.”
A good number of the regular customers are back too. “Some of them have been in here every day since I’ve opened,” said Mike.
Peanut Cantrell is one of the regular patrons who didn’t waste any time finding his way back. Asked if he’s glad Mike opened the store back up, Peanut said, “You better believe it.” He quickly said as a joke, “Now if he could just find a cook he would be all right.”
Added UPS driver Sean Rutledge, “It’s good to get back here to a sandwich and hot dog and bowl of chili.”
Among popular menu items are Mike’s Big Bologna Sandwich, a sandwich that features a half-inch piece of bologna. There’s traditional favorites like biscuit and gravy for breakfast and blackberry cobbler for dessert after lunch.
Depot Bottom Country Store is open from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 6 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday.
Local doctors find a new home
If you have an appointment this Monday with Dr. Jimmie Woodlee or Dr. Bryan Chastain, you better be prepared to go to a new location. Otherwise, you really will be waiting a long time to see the doctor.
Beginning Monday, Dr. Woodlee and Dr. Chastain will be in their new offices on the street called Health Way. The offices are located next to the new same-day surgery center which is fairly easy to find. You just turn at the waterfall on Sparta Street (and please don’t ask which waterfall).
Both doctors had been at their previous location for around seven years.
“I knew the move would be tough, but this beats even what I had imagined,” said Dr. Woodlee while carrying boxes into his new office. “You accumulate so much stuff over the years you never knew you had.”
Dr. Woodlee is being especially bold by moving all his equipment himself, with the help of his faithful staff and family. That includes moving such heavy equipment as the examining tables.
Asked if he had consulted a physician before undertaking such rigorous physical activity, Dr. Woodlee joked that he would have anti-inflammatory medication available for anyone who might not be able to get out of bed the next morning.
Dr. Woodlee says he’s been fortunate to have the help of his wife, Brenda. “I’ve lived here for the last two months,” said Brenda, who has worked some nights till 2 and 3 a.m. She even hurries over after church on Sunday.
The new offices will give Dr. Chastain and Dr. Woodlee more examining rooms and a better overall floor plan. The two said they expect this to be the last move of their careers.
Three cheers for Bappa Mukherji
McMinnville native Bappa Mukherji was recently recognized by Business Tennessee magazine as one of 40 bright Tennesseans under the age of 40. Bappa, 33, is the owner of Guy Brown Products, a Brentwood-based manufacturer of recycled toner cartridges for laser printers.
Bappa is a member of over 35 state and regional minority business councils. He is known as a shrewd investor whose other business interests include ProQuest Management, a financial planning firm targeting professional athletes, and various restaurant properties in the Nashville area.
More recently, Bappa has been acquiring health care facilities, including Coffee County Medical Center in Manchester and Edmonson Pike Medical Center in Nashville. He is the son of McMinnville’s Dr. Baron and Chitra Mukherji.
That’s all folks
If you have business news, or the name of a good barber, don’t hesitate to let me know. Give me a call at 473-2191 or send me an e-mail at [email protected].