You could say that Wesley and Anita Stevens’ retirement as proprietors of Red Roof Grocery in Leeds is the end of an era. But the era really ended an eon ago.
It ended when giant department stores thought it’d be swell to peddle Cheez Whiz and bulk candy along with hardware and lingerie. It ended when corporate convenience outlets started offering fountain soda in plastic cups larger than your car’s gas tank.
Hope you’re sitting down for this one, but the fuel stop and snack shack on Route 202 doesn’t even have its own Web site. Go to www.redroof.com and you’ll learn about the frills of a motel chain that didn’t take off nationally until long after Anita Stevens had sliced 5,000 pizzas in a cranny known as Mom’s Kitchen or Al Gore purportedly had invented the Internet.
Shoot, ask Wes about the Web and he’d probably tell you he doesn’t look at the Spider-Man comics that his eight grandchildren might read.
“I remember selling you bubble gum when you were this high,” Wes reminded a visitor at his retirement party Friday, bending as far as his back would allow and slowly lowering his open hand to bottom-shelf level. “How old are you now?”
Too old, sir.
Buying baseball cards
I’m old enough to remember spending most of my dollar-a-week allowance on baseball cards. I’m also old enough to remember a world when it wasn’t utter insanity for a 20-year millworker and a stay-at-home mom to risk their life savings and go into business.
That means I’m old enough to remember when they handed Wes and Anita the keys to this hut across the road from the ninth fairway at Springbrook Golf Club.
In 1978.
No offense intended whatsoever to new owner Bob Moody. He’s proven himself successful as a local auto parts dealer, and he looks like a natural behind the counter. But if Moody or a member of his family is still running Red Roof in 2031, I’ll walk there from my old-folks community and buy an energy drink.
“My parents never took a real vacation. Ever,” said John Stevens, one of three sons who pumped gas and swept floors before starting a family and career of his own. “We’re trying to get them to Branson, Mo., or Foxwoods, so they can gamble some of their money away.”
Wes and Anita simply worked. Meaning seven days a week, from sunrise to 7 p.m. That’s how they survived recessions, taxes, inflation, increases in the cost of living, fast-food restaurants and doughnut shops.
Just be yourself’
Customers returned that loyalty. Red Roof patrons don’t need to participate in “blogs” or talk radio call-in shows to express their dissatisfaction with the government or lament the economy. They solve the world’s problems with a neighbor while leaning against the ice cream machine and sipping black coffee.
“It’s the Cheers’ of Leeds, Maine, is what it is,” said Chuck Higgins, who worked in the kitchen for the Stevens and plans to stay on board with Moody. “Everybody knows everybody. You can come in here and be yourself.”
In a world thirsting for warmth and meaningful rituals, patrons could count on Red Roof for curmudgeonly charm. It greeted some of them through the front window in the form of a 5- by 7-inch placard. The message: “Is there life after death? Trespass here and find out.”
On the other side of the front door hangs a glass case. Above it is the message, “We Support Our Troops” in red, white and blue letters surrounded by gold stars. Inside the case are pictures of 25 local men and women stationed in the Middle East.
“Most of them are kids who grew up here like you and I over the last 26 years, and Mom and Dad never forgot them,” said John Stevens.
There will be no great financial windfall for John, Rick and Stacy Stevens as a result of their parents’ flight from the shrinking ranks of mom-and-pop. No immediate place in the Forbes 500 awaits them.
With every passing New Year’s Day, ours becomes more of a supercenter world. The only “big box” around Red Roof on Friday morning was to be filled with trinkets and fond memories.
But, truthfully, there isn’t a warehouse massive enough to hold those.
Kalle Oakes is the Sun Journal’s columnist. His e-mail is koakes@sunjournal.com.
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