Businessman Nelson Hunt has agreed to a deal to reopen White & Sons, Hayward’s store in Warwick, four months after it closed.The new operator said: “Hayward’s is an iconic mainstay in the Warwick community.”When it reopens, the new store will include a fully-supplied pharmacy and an extended deli that will be open for business seven-days-a week.For Mr Hunt, who operates Hunt’s Food & Supplies and Hunt’s Sanitation Services, the takeover was an easy decision to make.“We needed to secure this lease to protect our other business and we always wanted to be on the retail side of the food business.“If someone took it over it would have taken our food supply business out of the picture,” said Mr Hunt.“There were quite a few contenders [for the lease] but I have known Mr (Kevin) Hayward who owns the building since the 1970s. We’re going to keep it as Hayward’s and add Hunt’s somewhere along the line.“Hayward’s is iconic in Warwick and it would be so wrong not to use the Hayward name,” he said.White & Sons closed on August 16 after 88 years in business. Sister stores Hayward’s and Whites Southside to shut down following a court order. The Supreme Court approved a petition signed by a host of creditors to wind up the store.Assigned liquidators KPMG were charged with the winding up process which included job terminations for staff at all three establishments.Work crews charged with revamping Hayward’s for the big reopening moved into high gear this month to improve the physical plant and general state of the building.Once the refurbishment plans have been completed jobs will be advertised with a view to opening the store before the end of January.But in the current economic climate, Mr Hunt was reluctant to say just how many jobs would become available.“With the economy the way it is I can’t determine what January and February are going to be like and we’ll have people from our other shop placed here during the start-up period.“We plan to open daily and operate late into the evenings, basically we’re going to offer whatever it takes to serve this community. If this community needs it, then we’re going to do our very best to supply it,” said Mr Hunt.“This was an opportunity to expand in the food business. Everybody eats and the more competition there is the lower the prices will be, everyone is looking for lower prices.”Operating a pharmacy will also be a first the Hunt’s chain of businesses.“We need a pharmacy in Warwick, not just because the one in White’s closed down, but because Warwick is one of Bermuda’s most densely populated parishes,” said Mr Hunt.“Listening to the area residents I’m certain it really hurt this community when Hayward’s closed down, from what I can tell area residents are happy to see this store reopen.“But we cannot be successful unless we have support. Even in these economic times, the fixed costs of running anything in business remain the same.“It’s been rough on everyone to the point that it’s only cents on the dollar in these things but somebody has to take the risks, and I don’t mind taking risks,” he said.“Warwick gets a bad name at times and we’re trying to bring pride to this neighbourhood, we want to uplift the community by being a greater part of it.”With record levels of unemployment and underemployment, Mr Hunt said the hardest thing he has ever had to do is tell an employee that he doesn’t have a full day’s work for them.“It hurts to tell someone they have to be laid off because we have no work. I think most businesses feel the same way and we’ve spent a lot of money based on hope despite the recession,” said Mr Hunt.“As employers we hope that next month or next year is going to be much better, so you want to keep your people employed, not laid off.“I feel if I can’t make it in this economy, I don’t think other businessmen, black businessmen like myself in particular, can make it period,” he said.“I think I’m fearless but money is not the main thing that drives me, I’m doing this because I believe in Bermuda, it’s my home, you can take my passport; I don’t have to go to the airport again.”When asked what keeps him going at the age of 68, Mr Hunt, a father of three who lives in Warwick with his wife of 43 years smiled.“I keep four horses, they’re the passion in my life, I use horses as my discipline, I know that I have to deal with them every day and I’ve always had them.“Caring for animals makes a vast difference in terms of understanding life. Horses and animals generally are creatures of habit just like me and that keeps me grounded.“This Christmas Eve workmen will spend the day working flat out in the store in preparation for the reopening.“We’re waiting for a lot of the electronic supplies to come in like the cash registers and it’s a bad time year for imports because of the holidays.“My theory is when your time is done, its done. I want to die on my way to work and bury me at night when nobody has to take time off.”