Over the passage of time, us older folks-yes, according to this most recent eye glass prescription on the editor’s desk, your humble scribe can safely include themselves in that corner-like things to remain static.

Most of us marching stridently into middle age are not necessarily averse to change per se but familiarity can be like a warm blanket on a cold day.

James and Annie Kim and their long time friend and supporter Toni Hefernan. (Steve Ferguson Photo)

Warm familiarity is what this corner felt whenever he happened to wander into Thorne’s Variety on Union Street, even if the visits weren’t a daily occurence.

But proprietors James and Annie Kim always made visitors feel at home-even if it was their first time stopping by Thorne’s or if everyone was on a first name basis.

An annual ritual that could be timed almost to the hour was an early January visit to renew a sport fishing license. James would always ask whether I was getting a sport or a conservation license. I’d always make the same stale joke about how I should just save my money but I had a good feeling about this year and James would chuckle.

More regularly, I’d check out the latest collection of fishing lures Thorne’s was offering while grabbing a reduced caloric beverage whilst on my way to an assignment at Bird House City or points further south.

No matter if I was in a rush or had time to kill, there was always a warm smile at the till from the Kim family.

On Thursday, nearly three decades of kind and endearing service to both the folks living in the southeast of Picton, transients like myself and the Prince Edward County community in general came to a close as the Kim family retired from operating the store.

As County of Prince Edward Mayor Steve Ferguson noted at a ceremony attended by dozens of loyal customers, along with offering convenience store service at the corner of Union and Church, part of the Kim’s community service involved donating over $85,000 to the Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital Foundation and helping to donate much needed N95 face masks to the municipality in April 2020.

(Desirée Decoste/Gazette Staff)

In the age where faceless corporations seem to have a strangle hold on nearly every service station, convenience store, eatery, and other types of medium and large businesses, Thorne’s Variety was a brand apart because the Kims cared for the community they lived in, and, in turn, that community supported their operation.

It’s our hope new owners Rick and Kelly Sawany enjoy just as much success as they transition to operating Thorne’s and that the Kim family enjoys a long and fun filled retirement. It’s well earned.

-Jason Parks