By GINA KINSLOW
HORSE CAVE — A local clothing store has been featured in a book featuring information about 101 places to shop in Kentucky.
K&H; Department Store, which features clothing for the entire family, is one of the 101 stores that appear in the book, “Shopping Your Way Across Kentucky: 101 Must Places to Shop” by travel writer Gary P. West.
“I’m really excited that it is in there,” said Candice Eastridge, owner of the store.
She and her husband, John, and her parents, Tom and Mary Whittington, purchased the store in April.
Eastridge has copies of the book for sale at the store, and said it sparks a lot of conversation among shoppers when they realize the store is in the book.
“Most of them go wild,” she said. “They are just excited that a little small town like us is in a book.”
It’s not unusual for shoppers to browse through the book, which Eastridge said is very informative about small businesses in Kentucky.
“I enjoy the book myself because there are so many things in Kentucky that I didn’t know myself,” she said.
While Eastridge’s name is mentioned in the book, a majority of the interview for the piece about the store was done when the store was owned by Ken Russell.
Russell owned the store for 35 years. He started the business with his parents in 1972 and it has come to be a community fixture.
“Obviously, it was a honor to even be considered to be in the book. K & H Department Store is a rare find in today's big box/cookie cutter type chain stores you find in most cities and Mr. West was surprised such a business could be found in our small town,” Russell said.
West, who has written several books about unique things in Kentucky, such as “Eating Your Way Across Kentucky: 101 Must Places to Eat,” which features information about several local eateries, and “Eating Your Way Across Kentucky: The Recipes,” recently stopped in Horse Cave for a visit.
“Gary was recently in Horse Cave and was overwhelmed by the changes and new interest and offerings of Horse Cave. So much so, that he will be writing an article on Horse Cave in an upcoming edition of ‘Kentucky Monthly,’ a magazine devoted totally to Kentucky interest and has subscribers from all over the United States,” Russell said in a separate e-mail. “This is once again a real testament that Horse Cave has tremendous potential if we can continue to move forward.”
West is originally from Elizabethtown, but has lived in Bowling Green since 1971.
For more information about West and his books can be found by visiting www.garypwest.com.
