Hestand's in the Heights Closing Its Doors
By: Marci Manley, KARK 4 News
Updated: July 31, 2012
Owner Rodney Getchell confirms he's closing Hestand's in the Heights, and the last day is slated for Friday.
Getchell said his health and the competitive nature of the business, especially with the advent of big box stores, led him to the decision.
The store has been in its Heights location for 17 years, and shoppers said they're sad to see it go.
"Very much so. They've been around a long long time. So that's always sad to see small stores having to close their doors," said Hestand's shopper Debbie Benson.
"I'm already sad, I just don't have tears yet. When they close this weekend, where am I going to get good sweet watermleon or chicken wings?" said fellow shopper Steven Norfleet. "My great-grandmother, grandmother, mother -- my whole family has been shopping with this store for a long, long time. A lot of people in this area have."
Getchell is a third-generation grocer in Arkansas, with the family business roots reaching back to 1923 in Pine Bluff.
Getchell declined an on-camera interview on Monday, saying the experience had been emotionally and physically draining.
"I've been up since four this morning. We're working with a small crew," he said. "I had to let most of the staff go last week. It was like breaking up a family."
While Getchell said shuttering the store has taken an emotional toll, he's grateful for his loyal customers and looks forward to a new chapter in his life.
