Porterfield’s Drive-Thru is a fixture in the greater St. Clairsville community and has been for more than 30 years.
Three decades-plus of tradition will come to an end, however, on Saturday as Kirke Porterfield announced via the drive-thru’s Facebook page on Thursday of the decision.
“Due to unforeseen circumstances,” the announcement began, ultimately telling the public the final day is impending, and the store will close forever, at least in its current capacity and ownership, on Saturday at noon.”
While health issues for both Porterfield and his main full-time employee ultimately forced the businessman’s hand, this decision was a long-time in the making.
“Business had slowed way down from what it was years ago,” Porterfield admitted. “The addition of Walmart, Sam’s Club, Lowe’s, and then finally Rural King, and we were down to one employee.
“She’d been having back trouble, and her doctor told her that if she wanted to keep going, she’d need to quit lifting 50-pound bags all day long.
“Plus, I had knee replacement surgery back in January and have had several complications with that. I’m not able to move very fast and load up vehicles.”
Porterfield’s carries everything for farm and feed, garden supplies, stray, hay, you name it. Not everything sold is heavy, but it’s consistent enough where heavy lifting is likely number one in the job description.
“A bar or two, that’s not too bad,” Porterfield said. “But when someone comes in to order 20 bags of shell corn, that’s 1,000 pounds to throw in the bed of a truck.”
It certainly takes a toll.
Less Business, Smaller Workforce
As the big-box retailers began to fill in at both the Ohio Valley Plaza, and the Ohio Valley Mall in the case of Rural King, Porterfield started to watch his business numbers slowly dwindle.
After all, try as he could, he just couldn’t match the bulk buying power of the larger corporations.
“Take for instance mulch,” Porterfield began, giving an example of the differences between his store and the competition. “We pay $2.49 a bag. That’s our cost. All the big box stores were selling it for two dollars a bag. It makes it hard to compete.”
Porterfield’s remained open for quite a while despite the discrepancies, thanks to a loyal customer base and one willing to pay a little more for the friendly, personal service.
But as profits dwindled, so did the workforce. A larger workforce provided Porterfield time to find a replacement should someone quit or need to hang it up. That’s not the case any longer.
“Years ago, when we had 4-5 people working; if someone moved on, we could move someone into their place, and it was a pretty smooth transition,” Porterfield said. “But she’s been by herself basically for 3-4 years.
“We just don’t have the business to justify a larger workforce.”
What Next?
The second question most likely asked Porterfield by customers after the initial “why” was to inquire if Kirke’s Ice Cream will remain open.
Breathe in that collective sigh of relief. It will.
“My wife, Judy, and my youngest son handle Kirke’s, so it’s in good hands,” Porterfield said. “I still make ice cream a couple of hours, but my leg just won’t let me stand there for 6-8 hours like it used to.
“But it will remain open.”
Porterfield said there is a possibility of someone coming in and running the business, either in its current fashion or with a different model or product base.
He’s received inquiries. He just isn’t sure, as is, there’s enough business for someone to turn a profit and pay rent back to Porterfield on the property.
“A few people have contacted me that want to continue it, but honestly, I don’t think there’s enough there to make a dent, and still be able to pay the rent,” Porterfield admitted. “They’d likely have to add something else to the lineup.”
What that something might be, is anyone’s guess. But the drive-thru is situated on a good spot, just below Sheetz and Kirke’s Ice Cream, right our U.S. 40. The right mixture could make it. The public will just have to wait and see.
But what is certain is the days of Porterfield’s Drive Thru, which began back in 1991, are coming to a close.
