Popular commodity being sold by the gallon in Hatley

HATLEY, Miss. (WCBI) -T here’s a new attraction in Hatley and many around town are excited about it.

“It’s very convenient for all of us,” said Curt James, who lives in Hatley.

The convenience that James is referring to comes in the form of a new convenience store called the Tiger Food Mart.

It may look like the opening of just another convenience store, but when you’ve been running on empty, it’s cause for celebration.

The Monroe County town has been without a place to fill up for over a year.

“They had to drive to Amory and get it there at Walmart or somewhere like that,” said Charles Smith, Hatley resident. “As far as diesel, we had to go on out towards The Shell or something like that, so a lot of the guys that have tractors and equipment here will have to go all the way to Amory to get it and bring it back.”

“I got grandmothers and mothers, going to town and back is a big inconvenience for them,” said James.

With the addition of the Tiger Food Mart, residents can now get gas without having to leave town.

“For instance, I got off work and needed to mow my yard,” said James. “Now I can run home and get a gas jug and I can come here instead of having to go all the way back to town.”

Residents aren’t wasting any time taking advantage of this new resource.

The store saw more than 200 customers come through the doors for its grand opening on Thursday, and they aren’t just filling up on gas.

“I mean you got to think about it, it’s Hatley, Mississippi,” James described. “We’ve got a Baskin Robbins now, I mean, we got stuff in there that we’ve never had here before.”

“We’re going to do plate lunches,” said Moheeb Alsaidi,” owner of the store. “Pizza, breakfast, stuff like that. Then on Friday nights and Saturday nights, we’re going to start with the fish plates, after that we’re going to do steaks, hamburger steaks and barbecue. You can get everything in one place.”

Residents believe having another convenience store to call their own is a good sign for the town’s future

“It’s exciting to have it back,” Smith expressed. “It brings in revenue for the town and that just makes it a convenience for us to be able to do stuff here, get our gas, drinks, and all that we need here.”

The new gas station will be open seven days a week and is located on South Hatley Road at the four-way stop.

To celebrate its grand opening, the store gave out free slices of pizza to everyone who came through the doors.

Next Tuesday, they’re giving out a free scoop of ice cream to all of its customers.