Paul ’ s Discount - Continuing to thrive for 60 + years with a bit of everything
Story and photos by Bob Flynn
Long before big-box stores like Walmart and Lowe ’ s began popping up in every town across the country , most towns had their own locally owned business that provided for all their needs .
In Somerset , that family owned , one-stop shop was Paul ’ s Discount .
When the Neikerk family opened Paul ’ s Discount in 1960 it quickly became the go-to place for local residents , whether they needed clothing , tools , hardware , hunting and fishing equipment or a myriad of other goods .
For 62 years , the Neikirks treated their customers like family and those customers knew that they could always count on personal , friendly service whenever they entered the store .
That ’ s why Paul ’ s Discount continued to thrive when family businesses in other towns didn ’ t , even after the arrival of the big box stores and the building of the new fourlane U . S . 27 that took Paul ’ s Discount off the main highway and the high-volume traffic it carried .
And Paul ’ s continues to thrive today under the leadership of new owners Michael and Brooke Keck who took over the business two years ago .
When they bought the business Michael said their goal was to continue the community-oriented service Paul ’ s Discount was known for and to add on to it going forward .
“ Paul ’ s Discount had a tremendous legacy under the Niekirk family and we wanted to retain the essence of what Paul ’ s Discount was and is ,” he said . “ But we also want to make small changes and improvements around the edges to enhance the customer experience when they come into the store .”
The Neikirks were known for treating their employees as family as is evident in the fact that many of the current employees have worked there for many years and both Michael and Brooke say that ’ s one of the keys to keeping the store successful in the future .
“ All our employees are local folks and most of them have been here a very long time . Our manager , Deanna Eubank has been here 38 years and Tommy Rutherford , our hardware department manager has been here 19 years ,” Michael said .
“ Paul ’ s Discount isn ’ t just a business , it ’ s a family . It ’ s a family of employees and it ’ s a family of community . One of the main things we focus on is taking care of our employees . They are loved and appreciated and they are not just a number ,” Brooke added . “ And it ’ s the same for our customers . We have regular customers that don ’ t just feel like customers to us , they feel like family and we really care about them and their families .”
Inside its 65,000 square foot building Paul ’ s features one of the largest selections of fishing , hunting and archery equipment and supplies in the Lake Cumberland area .
They also carry a great selection of camping gear as well as water sports
Pictured above : Michael and Brooke Keck , and daughter Everleigh . JUNE 2024 SEKY - Southeast Kentucky Life • 25