Interview by Abernathy Cochran intern and North Hall High senior Tori Skinkle
Meet Penny Crow! Penny is the Store Manager for Onward Reserve’s Gainesville storefront, located on the historic Downtown Gainesville square. Penny has made it her goal to make her storefront as welcoming as possible and loves building relationships with the people around her. Locally, she loves to stop by Standard Service for a good meal.
We want to thank Penny for spending time with us recently and sharing more about her life and love of Hall County.
Q: What inspired or led you to your current career?
A: “I was inspired by a layoff, needing to find work I began a career in men’s wear over 15 years ago and love the industry. This opportunity with Onward was close to home, and as I interviewed I admired the individuals I was interviewing with. They gave me the chance to create my own vision for this location with full support, which is great.”
Q: What is your favorite restaurant in Hall County? And what do you love there?
A: “Right now, I’m still very limited in terms of the restaurants I’ve been able to enjoy, as I’m focused on getting the store up and running. However, I really love Standard Service; the Monkey Bread and their Deviled Eggs had me at hello. Additionally, I enjoy the small, intimate atmosphere there.”
Q: How long have you lived or worked in Hall County?
A: “15 months.”
Q: Who is the most interesting person you’ve met in Hall County and why?
A: “I have two. My position as a regional account manager with Custom Canine Unlimited. In that role, I worked with law enforcement and veterans, getting them registered and through the necessary paperwork to become handlers and trainers, and assisted departments in building the necessary equipment within their budgets for their K9 Teams. I also worked with the VA to secure benefits for veterans, among other tasks. The founder of that organization, AJ Vargas, really supported me when I struggled. He provided all the training I asked for, believed in me, and said, ‘I know you can do it.’ I still think that was the most challenging job ever, even more so than my current one. It pushed me to be the absolute best I could be, to deliver, and to grow as quickly as possible. Now, here at Onward Reserve, I’ve been given the same kind of push to deliver for the store. However, the developer for Renaissance, Doug Ivester, has amazed me with what I call his ‘little nuggets of wisdom’ when he stops by. He is so passionate about everything he has done, and he truly cares about our success here. He offers me a different point of view, ‘Did you think about …..?’ He has provided me with a lot of ideas to build on, just those little bits of input that spark creativity in me that I don’t think I’ve ever had before. Allowing me to be as creative as I have been here, building an environment that I am extremely proud of.”
Q: What is your favorite childhood memory?
A: “Surprisingly, I still remember this. My father served 20 years and retired from the Air Force at the age of 36. During the first five years of my life, our base housing was on Cocoa Beach. I can still tell you that we lived in the unit 1008. Our coffee table was a diving board, and if I swung high enough, I could literally see the water touching the sand and coming up to the shore. That is probably why I love being near water and being able to see it as much as I do. It has just been ingrained in me.”
Q: If you could travel anywhere in the world right now, where would it be?
A: “There are so many places. I would take my granddaughter to Canada. She wants to live there and has been taking French—that is a goal of hers. Her mother, my mother, and I all left the country for the very first time when my daughter competed in Montreal at the age of 15. To be able to give my granddaughter that same experience, to go into Canada and actually be in the environment, would be amazing.”
Q: What is the first movie you remember seeing in a theater?
A: “The first one that I still really remember is when we went to a drive-in in Florida, and they played back-to-back Elvis movies. I think there were five of them that played. I just remember thinking, “Can it be over now?”
Q: What advice would you give a crowd of people?
A: “Be as respectful as possible to those around you. There’s always something to be learned, whether it’s good or bad. If we are open to experiences, I believe we all become better people. Strive for a better understanding of each other.”
Q: What is something on your bucket list?
A: “Drive across the U.S. to Washington state. That one was easy. I have not been to the Northwest, or anywhere in that area. I have worked on ranches in Montana, and I’ve worked in feedlots in Nebraska, but I never quite made it to the upper corridor, Washington, or Oregon. I would really love to see that.”
Q: What’s your favorite music or three bands you would like to see dead or alive?
A: “I love international guitar music, so I would love to see the Gypsy Kings. There’s a new artist that I would really enjoy seeing. His name is Dax; he is a Christian rapper with some really moving and diverse music, which I love. And the third one is Wasis Diop an African musician from Senegal. I have built a playlist from his song in the score of ‘The Thomas Crown Affair,’ which is so haunting—I love it. It has led me to some truly amazing music finds.”
Q: What local business makes you the most nostalgic about Hall County and why?
A: “I love going to Out of the Cedar Chest. I have bought a lot of things from there to help fill a need and for displays. I also enjoy going through and seeing the local art and a lot of the area’s history that is showcased there. It’s just a trip down memory lane.”
Q: Choosing anyone past or present and a non-relative, with whom would you love to have lunch? And where locally would you have this lunch?
A: “My best friend from school, Edwina; we’re like sisters. We were inseparable from eighth grade onward, but she’s in Texas, and I’m here. Unfortunately, we don’t get together as often as we would like. We’ve tried a couple of times in the last few years, but our schedules just haven’t worked out. Locally, since I haven’t been there yet, I’m dying to go four doors down to Cotto.”
Q: What’s your favorite thing about Hall County?
A: “The people I’ve met here. I hope you feel like you’re entering someone’s home when you walk into our store. I honestly feel that it’s reciprocated; people are walking in, enjoying themselves, and being supportive. They’ve made me feel like a part of the community. Now, hopefully, this year I plan on getting out in the county more and being a more visible partner within the county and not so much behind the scenes. It’s really been amazing, getting to know the people that I have. Seeing regular customers come in, stop by, say hi, or just walk by and stick their heads in. That’s been the ultimate goal, and I do feel like a part of this community.”
Q: Where do you see yourself in five to 10 years?
A: “Retired. I care for my parents and help keep them active and on the go. We all share the same home so that they can travel whenever they want. When they decide to go, they can be gone for as long as they please. So, outside of not having to work every day to provide for myself, I might be retired, or I might not. I just don’t know what tomorrow holds because they are my first priority.”
Q: What is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
A: “The fact that I’m a tomboy—I’ve worked in just about every industry, including cattle and harvesting wheat from Central Texas to Montana. I can drive anything out there, though I haven’t learned to fly yet; that could be another thing I put on my bucket list. I think everyone who has spent any time with me probably sees me as the free spirit that I am. I really love my life. I can rebuild a car if I had to -these guys have all seen it. I guess I would probably phrase it as, instead of a Renaissance man, I would be a Renaissance woman who has worked with her hands, worked the soil, and been in corporate America in middle management – I am kind of fearless when change occurs. Give me a challenge, give me the tools that I need to meet it, and we’ll see where it goes. If it doesn’t work out, it doesn’t work out. I don’t really worry about that so much as did we do a good job? Did I do the best that I could? If I didn’t, why? What do I need to do better next time?”
Q: What three words mean home to you?
A: “Family, peace, and wherever my camper is. I think that my family and friends are my home—wherever they are, wherever I am with them. I am blessed with some of the most amazing women in my life whom I’ve known for 30-plus years since I moved to Georgia and those in Texas. They are extremely different, and we are all very diverse. But you know, if we don’t talk for a year, it doesn’t matter; we know that we love each other, and we’re always there. It’s like my friends from high school whom I’ve been able to keep up with through all the moves. I may not see them, but if I’m in town I’ll reach out to them, even if it’s just a cup of coffee and try to catch up for a few.”
