Page 48 - PC Living Jan-Feb 2017

jane & Ronnie groomLOCAL HUNTING, FISHING AND ADVENTURE EXPERTS BY VAL SCHOGERThere are only a few businesses that can claim they have operated in Downtown Panama City for more than 65 years. Since the 1950s C&G Spor ng Goods has been a des na on for hun ng, shing, and camping enthusiasts. Obvious changes have occurred throughout the years; The building saw minor modi ca ons, the inventory has certainly changed, and the knowledge has grown as much as services have expanded. With the support of eight employees, proprietor Ronnie Groom and wife Jane are handling many of the day-to-day opera ons.Only a true local might be able to grasp the signi cance of this store and the owners' impact on the community. You would have to look closely at Ronnie Groom’s past, and how he grew up shing and diving. With his dive companions, he co-authored a book, “Shooter Giggers,” about their early skin diving and spear shing adventures in Bay County. As an employee at C&G Sporting Goods, Ronnie Groom became Panama City’s rst dive instructor and he describes running the store as his “dream job” to this day.Jane Groom is known as an avid volunteer in the community. When she is not at the store, she cooks for church or women’s club events, or actively supports the Gulf Coast Children’s Advocacy Center.Ronnie Groom’s workday begins at 7 a. m. and he is present at C & G Sporting Goods almost every day.PC Living: When walking into your store, it feels like a di erent world.Ronnie Groom: It's a di erent store. It's an old-fashioned kind of store.Jane Groom: It's old America.Ronnie Groom: You don't nd stores like ours much anymore. They're slowly fading out. The big box stores come in.PC Living: How do you hold up, compared to the big box stores?Ronnie Groom: We can o er a world of services they can't. Personal services. We are a lot more knowledgeable about the area and the merchandise. We're here in town and all the money that comes in C&G stays in Panama City. And when our customers have a problem, we always provide the best solution for them.Jane Groom: You're sitting in our headquarters. We're not in Bentonville, Arkansas or anywhere else. We're in downtown Panama City. That makes a big di erence in providing good customer service.PC Living: What does each of you do at the store?Jane Groom: Ronnie runs the whole business and is the person in charge. My tasks are speci c. I handle all the orders for the Boy Scouts and other organizations that are buying their uniforms from us. To my knowledge, we are the only uniform shop for Boy Scouts between Tallahassee and Pensacola. I also handle the engraving of awards.48 • January - February 2017 • www.PanamaCityLiving.com