In last Sunday’s paper our publisher wrote a column on the positive effects of the county’s 2050 plan.
In the same edition there was a story about a long-time local businessman who at the age of 84 still operates a business here in Newton County.

Lewis Mason and his brother started a hair cutting business 52 years ago, moving here from Atlanta.

Is obvious from reading the story that Mason loves his adopted community and has enjoyed doing business here.
In the story there was a mention of a W.T. Grant store which was also located here.

W.T. Grant at one time was one of the largest chains in the country and was the forerunners of Kmart and Walmart; they were always good community partners.

Unfortunately they have long gone the way of dinosaurs.

At one time and not that many years ago, Covington had a Belk’s, our own Movie Theater, numerous grocery and clothing stores and a bowling alley.

Goody’s was located here until it was replaced by a lower-end Bealls.

We are not quite sure why all these businesses died and why our former elected officials couldn’t have come up with a workable plan to make us a shopping hub instead of Rockdale County — and of course we can always blame our shopping shortcomings on the convenience of Walmart, but that’s getting old.

Getting back to the so-called good ole days is the reason having a chain store like Ross making plans to locate here is so promising.

We often ask you to try your best to shop local, including local franchises and chains. It is extremely important that you do so, because if stores like Ross show up and prove successful to other corporations it won’t take long before

Covington and Newton County will become a shopping hub and center for business for area residents and those in all points east, like it was when Lewis Mason opened his first barber shop five decades ago.