The Other Store
Forest Acres
By Natasha Derrick
Natasha@TheColumbiaStar.com

Photo by Natasha Derrick Frances Thompson (l) and John Hubbard chat with Carlisa Rawl over lunch at The Other Store.

Its humble name and simple white exterior don't draw attention or make a statement. Simply called, The Other Store, Linda and Bill Sellers' deli and convenience store offers much more than the name implies. Nestled in the back room behind the racks of standard convenience store fare is the cozy kitchen that many people in the Forest Acres area have come to call a second home.

Thirteen years ago, the Sellers decided to expand their business and purchased the old convenience store on Bethel Church Road. At the time, they already owned Hazelwood Market off Caughman Road. The store's status as the second in line is what earned it the unique distinction of "the other store" which apparently stuck.

Chef Joshua Hubbard has worked at The Other Store from the beginning. The Sellers' daughter, Melissa, offered him the opportunity. She would later become his wife, and recipes from her family and the Hubbard family would grace the menu, which includes a variety of sandwiches, salads, soups, and scrumptious desserts.

Photo by Natasha Derrick Jim Cuddy, patron of five years, enjoys a salad at The Other Store. The small room with its country blue chairs and sunny yellow walls is packed during the lunch rush. Longtime customers Melonie and John Hallman have watched the crowds grow steadily over the past 13 years and have often joked with Linda about moving to expand the business. "It does get crowded in here," Melonie said, "but it just wouldn't be the same if it wasn't here."

John, who has lived in the neighborhood his whole life, used to come to the store after school for a hot dog or candy before the Sellers owned it. At one time the deli area was a beauty salon.

The Other Store's unique location, in the middle of a residential area, draws a surprisingly varied crowd. "We have tons of interesting people here," Hubbard said. "We kind of pride ourselves on that. You'll see tennis ladies sitting next to construction workers, and they all know each other."

Photo by Natasha Derrick Josh Hubbard prepares Greek Turkey Pitas for hungry lunch customers. Long time patrons and new visitors both seem to agree the food drew them in, and the friendly home kitchen atmosphere kept them coming back. One of the most popular items on the menu, The Greek Turkey Pita, was born out of a kitchen joke. Longtime employee, Mark White, was working at the cash register at the front of the store and requested something to eat from the kitchen. "We just started throwing things together and sent it up there to him," Hubbard said. "He actually loved it!" The signature pita combines turkey, lettuce, cucumbers, a secret dressing, and a healthy helping of feta.

The less tangible quality of The Other Store is the ease and friendliness with which the customers and staff treat each other.

Forest Acres Police Department Patrolman J.R. Marshall has been coming to The Other Store since the early '90s. "The whole staff knows all the officers on the force," he said. "They treat customers right, especially the officers." It is not uncommon to see a customer wander back to the kitchen just to say hello. The deli has turned into an unofficial gathering place. "It's kind of like Cheers," said John Hubbard, Josh Hubbard's father. "Everybody knows your name."

Photo by Amanda Taylor Forest Acres Patrolman J.R. Marshall and Frances Thompson talk about the many lunches they've spent at The Other Store. The Other Store has never had to resort to advertising to draw customers to the door. Word-of-mouth has been more than sufficient to keep the deli busy. Perhaps it is Linda Sellers' motto that makes the difference. "We make good quality food for people we like, and we like them all!"

Next week we will visit

Compton's Kitchen in West Columbia