MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga. — Call it baptism by fire, convenience-retailing style. Meet Kensey and Dylan Amerson, an example of an on-the-job training journey to revive a local, family-run c-store.
In early April, the Amersons reopened Huff’s Market, off Highway 49 in Milledgeville, Ga., on the Macon, Ga., corridor. The relaunch is taking shape without guidance from retail consultants but through help from goodwill suppliers, as well as the Amersons’ own innate drive.
How is business faring since the grand reopening? Through word of mouth and social media, Huff’s Market is turning into a popular local destination stop with a lot of upsides. “We had a big-picture idea that we would run a ‘convenient’ grocery/country market. When we took control of Huff’s, one of our goals was to make sure it was a hyperlocal store, from product sourcing to people. That way we could support the central Georgia region better,” Dylan said.
Reopening after a year of sitting idle, Huff’s Market has been in Dylan’s family for 60 years. His great aunt, Dorothy Huff, ran the store for decades with her late husband. But the unit closed in early 2021 due to effects of COVID-19 as well as her health.
Spending years working in outdoor education—first in Utah, then in the Smokies—the Amersons were encouraged by family in mid-2021 to move back to Milledgeville and operate Huff’s. It all happened as their first child, Sawyer, was born.
“We decided that this was the time to try an entirely new direction in life,” Dylan said. “Throughout our travels, we’ve always been grounded by the wonderful people surrounding us, and we decided it was time to return home to the community and family.”
Several unique aspects underpin the Huff’s Market revitalization. Here are 10 things to know about Huff’s and the Amersons:
The Journey: “I had never thought about taking over a retail operation, but I spoke to Kensey, and we made the decision to pursue it,” Dylan said. “We were living as back-packing guides in Tennessee, and assessed the finances of that career path. The question was, ‘How do we run a brick-and-mortar store?’ ”
Suppliers have aided the Amersons’ cause, and Kensey specifically cites Condor Chocolates Five Points, Double L Ranch, Cindy’s Bits & Pieces and Liberty Farm for helping them navigate the way. “We’ve been happily surprised by all the local partners who stepped up and took us under their wing,” Kensey said. Word of mouth also helped bring in new customers.
The Endgame: “Come to Huff’s and tell us what you want—we’ll try and get it in stock for you” is one of the Amersons’ customer fulfillment goals. “We wanted to establish a hub where people can come have coffee, watch the news, talk about what was most important,” Dylan said. “We’re all about the communities where we live and work.”
Complementary Skill Sets: Kensey said Dylan is “more of the researcher, while I have a business-related mind to go and do it. Dylan will look into prices for equipment—convection ovens and refrigeration units.”
A Range of Customers: The Amersons said locals heading to work account for a large volume of foot traffic during morning hours, while later in the day, it’s people from the outskirts of town and beyond. “We’re seeing people going out of their way to come to Huff’s later in the day,” Dylan said. “Some come from 30 to 40 miles away. My great-aunt had mainly local customers, but when we took over the store, we found it’s that and more—it’s been an evolution.”
No Fuel but Stay Tuned: The store had historically sold gas, but the underground tanks and pumps now need to be replaced. Dylan said the capital expense to invest in fueling is prohibitive. “We’re saving ourselves stress by not investing in gasoline—for now. Maybe instead of tanks and dispensers, we’ll invest in more elaborate foodservice,” he said.
Social Media: Facebook is a key driver of spreading the word about Huff’s Market. “One vendor told us that creating a Huff’s Market Facebook page would be a game-changer. It’s been incredible because so many people have caught wind of us via social,” Dylan said.
Biscuit Bonanza: Link biscuits, country ham biscuits, biscuit bites, hamburgers and bratwurst are among the signature food items at Huff’s. “We’re looking to perhaps hire a full-time cook or line chef with culinary experience, and about putting a food truck on-site,” Dylan said.
Daypart Trends: “Ideally, we want breakfast and lunch sales to be equitable. We close at 6:30 p.m. so dinner isn’t an option for now,” Dylan said. “While we started strong with high breakfast sales, during our second week we couldn’t keep enough burgers going on the Green Egg grill—we had to turn people away.”
He added, “We’re not technically a commercial kitchen: We cook and assemble food outside. It’s not necessarily ideal, but we’re getting by this way.” Huff’s does have two picnic tables outside and modest table space inside.
Staffing: Huff’s Market employs one part-timer, and “she’s a perfect fit for us,” Kensey said. “She’s younger, and eventually is looking to start a family. She has that drive to succeed, which we like. We didn’t feel comfortable hiring too many people yet because we’d have to train people as we were training ourselves.”
The Future: “We have not talked a ton about expansion. Such as, would we rather have one very successful store or expand? We’re thinking maybe a smaller version of Huff’s located near the Oconee River—maybe a beer garden format that would offer salads and wraps,” Kensey said.
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