Gas station, store planned for Monroe community
Regina Caswell Burd plans to have Monroe Market up and going by late spring of 2025. It will be located on a corner lot at the caution lights in the Monroe community. Photo by Mary Beth Sallee.
Mary Beth Sallee
Managing Editor
Hart Co. News-Herald
Regina Caswell Burd was born and raised in Hart County. Although she didn’t grow up in Monroe, her best friend did, and so she visited the small town frequently as a teenager.
“I always loved it here,” Regina said of Monroe. “I loved the friendliness of the community and how everyone knew each other.”
A couple of years ago, Regina purchased land and built herself a home in Monroe. However, she quickly realized that Monroe had changed over the past several years and wasn’t the same as she had remembered.
“I felt like something was missing here,” Regina said. “That something was Libby’s…I remember this place always having a sense of community and pride. Libby’s Grocery was the spot! The local kids, along with their friends from other areas like myself, hung out on the store’s front porch. Inside you could always find farmers on their lunch breaks or the daily coffee drinkers (loafers). A lot of stories were told between those walls around the wood stove…With that in mind, I had a desire to build a store that offered gas and goods to the community…I’m hoping that a store will help to unite this community once more and bring back the family atmosphere. There are very few country stores remaining, especially ones that are owned by locals.”
In December of 2023, Regina purchased a 2.5-acre corner lot at the caution lights in Monroe and set her plan into motion.
“I had anticipated being further along at this point, but there have been a few road blocks due to fiber optic lines that run through my property that were installed with no written easement,” Regina explained. “SCRTC informed me that it would cost $25,000-$30,000 additional fees to move the buried line. This was a huge set back and has cost me more time and money than I had expected. I reached out to several local elected officials requesting help with the matter, but have yet to hear back or receive any support.”
Regina plans to call her store Monroe Market and offer breakfast, lunch, groceries, and much needed gas pumps.
“There isn’t a gas station anywhere between the Wigwam Store and Greensburg, which proves to be a big inconvenience,” Regina explained. “I think Monroe Market will help the community in every way, making it more convenient to run and grab a cold drink, food, gas, or just have a place to sit with a cup of coffee and talk about the weather.”
If all goes as planned, Regina is scheduled to break ground by the end of October, with hopes to be up and going by late spring of 2025.
Regina Caswell Burd recalls Libby’s Monroe Grocery Store as being a place for everyone in the community. She hopes that her future store, Monroe Market, will once again unite the community and bring back the family atmosphere. Jobe Photo File.
Love the idea. May God’s blessing be on every move u make. Thank you for loving a small community. I to miss the old days. U go girl.
May God bless you for what you’re doing 🙏🙏🙏. I grew up there and I am so thankful that you are doing this for the community 😊😊
I, am one of the kids from the neighborhood who grew up frequenting Libby’s! It was a place you could always see a smiling face, kind words were passed and brought empty bottles to collect dimes to buy a Ski and a pack of crackers!!
So wonderful you’re doing this and can’t wait to visit!!
I am a 75 year old male living less than 2 miles from the location where the market will be located. I would love to have a job, full or part time. My phone number is 270 312 5222.
I am a 75 year old man living less than 2 miles from the location of planed market. I would love to have a full or part job. My phone number is 270 312 5222.