DAN AND FLO BENOIT

Age: She is 75, He is 79

Occupation: Newly retired owners of Kwik Check in Groves.

Community connection: Sold bait to generations of Groves residents.

Fast fact: Dan tells the grandkids the woman in the bikini tattooed on his arm is “grandma.”





GROVES — Soon all the boxes of chocolate milk powder and jars of jalapeno peppers will be gone, and Dan and Flo Benoit will turn the Kwik Chek into their living room.

But Flo said she might clear out the beer and keep the refrigerated wall for food. They do have a lot of family stop by.

The bait and beer shop on Pure Atlantic Highway is attached to their house, but the couple has closed up shop.

“We are now retired. It has been a pleasure,” reads a neatly lettered sign made by Vonnie at the liquor store next door.

“We’ve made a lot of friends,” Flo said.

At the dining room table behind the store, the couple agreed it was a tough decision to close shop. They’re customers are taking it hard, too.

“They were all crying over that,” Flo said.

Dan said beer and cigarettes have been the best sellers, but when they started business, 48 years ago, people tended to buy more staples, like bread and milk. There weren’t all the super stores there are today. Plant workers have always been good customers and the bait and hunting and fishing licenses have brought in generations of families, they said.

Dan knows what to do with those licenses. He’s got plans.

“I’ll be fishing from now on,” he said.

Flo might be picking out colors for this new living room.

Contact this reporter at ddoiron@panews.com.