After suffering strokes, 44-year beloved employee makes return visit to Friedman's

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Our longtime mom-and-pop stores in middle Tennessee have something in common; a staff people love. There's a lot of reason to celebrate someone at one of Nashville's longest-running businesses.

There have been a few stores in a few locations, but the name, Friedman's Army Navy Outdoor Store, has been in middle Tennessee for about 75 years.

"That first store was 1949, downtown Nashville," said owner Frank Friedman.

Frank and longtime employee Linda Wright offer up keys to that longevity.

"It's a very interesting combination of goods," Frank began.

"We don't change," Linda added. "We're old school. People like that."

"It's kinda the corner bar of retail, where the same customers come in on a regular basis," Frank continued. "The salespeople have been around here forever."

About that. Many who love to fish have found themselves at the counter of Patsy Curtis at Friedman's.

"Patsy, our fishing buyer, loves people, and it's obvious," said Linda. "She's a talker. She loves to talk."

"Patsy's been with us for 45 years roughly," Frank added. "Patsy knows about fishing tackle, where to buy it, more than anybody living in America today."

Patsy hasn't been at the counter in a while. Last fall, she suffered three strokes in one week.

"It was very upsetting, just hated it for her," said Linda. "She's very kind and cares about people. She and I are very close. I miss her being here 'cause we can't have our chats."

Of course, Patsy's missed everybody too.

"I wanna be here a while longer, and I guess everybody feels that way," Patsy said, speaking from Vitality Living Hendersonville. "It's been hard. I'm not a person who likes to sit around and do nothing."

Patsy's going through therapy, daily gaining strength.

"Sounds like you're made of tough stuff, Patsy," I told her.

"Yeah, I think I am too," she laughed.

It's been especially hard for Patsy being away from Friedman's as the store nears the end of its 75-year story.

"Everything's good," Frank said about the upcoming closure of Friedman's. "Business is good. I had to make a decision. We're getting old. These are people who can't be replaced. It's just sorta our time."

"I would like to see a lot of my customers who have let me help them through the years," Patsy said. "I'll still be in the wheelchair, but I can still talk."

After all these months away, Patsy was ready for a visit to Friedman's.

"I gotta see Linda," Patsy said, heading through the front door.

"I am so excited," Linda told us. "I can't wait to hug her."

"Oh, I been waiting on this so long!" Linda said, spotting Patsy coming around the corner. "Oh, it's so good to see you, Patsy!"

"Thank you for all of the years of getting my kids their pants!" a customer chimed in.

Immediately, it was like no time had passed.

"I can't tell you how much it means to me and everybody else that she's here and in the building," Frank said.

"If anyone can pull out of this, she'll do it," said Linda. "She's so determined. That's what I told her. I said, 'You'll get through this. I know you will.'"