The Old Post General Store on Hwy. 11. Eddie Coggins has owned and managed convenience stores for 18 years, but has decided he needs a break from the non-stop business of serving up gas and snacks.

The sale of his popular Old Post General Store on Hwy. 11 to Mike Patel was finalized last Monday.

"I've only had one full week vacation in those 18 years," Coggins said Friday. "I haven't played a round of golf with my son (Todd, GHS golf coach) in more than five years. I love the business but I need to spend more time with my family."

Coggins opened Old Post in 1999 after operating five other stores in the area. A 1976 graduate of Gaffney High, he worked for Duke Power for five years and AMP for three years before getting into the convenience store business.

"I worked with George Horne for a number of years and learned a lot from him about this business," Coggins said. "When I opened Old Post, I decided not to sell lottery tickets or have video poker machines. That's what the Lord told me to do."

That decision undoubtedly reduced Coggins' revenue stream, but he knows it was the right decision for him. "I have to live with myself and I was always able to go home and sleep at night," he said.

Another faith-based decision was to close the store on Sundays.

"I decided a few years ago that the store should be closed on Sundays, even if it meant a reduction in sales. As it turned out, my six-day sales have been better than when we were open seven days," Coggins said. "I have been truly blessed. I've had some great employees and wonderful customers and being around them is what I will miss the most."

Coggins said he'll take a week or two off before looking for another job - one with a lot less stress and one that will allow him some quality family time. "I'm too young to retire and I still have bills to pay," he said.