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Ownership of the local wellness store transfers to employee after 24 years

 

TRYON—After 24 years, ownership of Nature’s Storehouse in Tryon is being passed on to a longtime employee.

First opened in 1990, John Cash purchased the Nature’s Storehouse located at 427 S. Trade St. in 1999. Now, as of Friday, September 29, Cash has retired and passed ownership to an employee, Kat Williams. 

Williams, 26, is originally from Georgia and has worked at the store for six years. Williams moved to the Tryon area to live with her grandmother, who owned TJ’s Cafe, the restaurant that used to be across the street from Nature’s Storehouse. William’s grandmother was set to retire, and she knew Cash through his regular visits to TJ’s. In 2018, Cash offered Williams a job at Nature’s Storehouse. 

“I was nervous at first. But I think now that we’ve kind of finalized everything and all the paperwork is in, I’m a lot more excited about it,” Williams said of taking over the store. “I have good help.

“I feel very blessed and lucky to be given this opportunity through John and [Cash’s wife] Diane, since I’ve known them so long,” Williams said.

Williams plans on adding inventory to the shop targeting a younger demographic. 

“Skincare, things like that. Things you see on social media, because right now we don’t do anything on social media. So I think that would be something to look forward to in the future,” said Williams. “But for now I’m just kind of feeling it out, and seeing how it goes right now.”

Cash will be helping Williams run the store for the first month.

“I’ve had two careers spanning 51 years,” Cash said of his retirement. “I love my job, but it’s time to retire.”

“I think Kat is very capable of running this business in a successful way, and I want to see her have a productive career,” Cash said on choosing Williams to take over the shop. “If I didn’t think she could do it, I wouldn’t have picked her. She’s like my daughter.”

When asked if Cash had plans for retirement, he said with a smile, “Yeah. Not working. And riding my bicycle around Tryon.”