Keith Thomas…A Friendly Face

If you purchase gas, coffee, or a Polar Pop in Monticello, then you will likely recognize the face of this week’s neighbor. Chances are you even know his name…first name Keith, last name Thomas.

The personable manager of the local Circle K has worked at the Monticello location for two years. Though he is a Macon resident that makes the hour commute to-and-fro most days of the week, he is no stranger to locals. Many of the store’s patrons know him by name and don’t hesitate to offer up some cheerful banter with the manager as they breeze in and out of the building.

“I feel like a local celebrity and I am not even from here,” Keith mentioned. “People are always waving and blowing [car horns] at me.”

Keith came to work at the Monticello location when the Northside Macon location he was managing burned down after a customer hit the gas pump in their vehicle. Following that, he came to Monticello to assist the former manager who needed some aid in the store. That manager ended up leaving and he remained to manage the store. Keith is not sure how long he might remain here but certainly has seen and learned a lot during his time here.

When asked to oblige The News with an interview, Keith asked “why me” to which I replied “because everyone knows of you but probably knows very little about you.”

So here goes, Keith is from Parris Island, S.C. where he was raised as a middle child in a large military family led by his now retired U.S. Marine father. Coming from a large family with four brothers and three sisters, Keith is now raising a big brood of six which includes five daughters and one son ranging in age from 16 to 8. His wife of eight years works in admissions at Navicent Health in Macon.

Keith has worked in management for several years including five years at his current company while also performing stints at Walmart, Tractor Supply, and Applebee’s. That is a varied abundance of management skills acquired which shows in his interaction with his customers, regular or not.

The manager says his goal is to brighten everyone’s day that steps into the door. If he notices a customer looking down or frustrated, Keith tries to lighten their mood even if only for that moment.

“I want every person to have the best customer experience possible,” he said.

In his down time away from work, Keith enjoys spending time with his kids. All of his daughters are into cheerleading and dance so he spends lots of time doing “spirit fingers” at games. His lone son is now playing football so that means double duty at sporting events cheering him on.

When not supporting his young brood at their sporting events, Keith finds time to partake in some professional football activities. Last weekend, he made the nine hour trek by car to Indianapolis to cheer on the Atlanta Falcons in their pursuit against the Colts. His father has a Falcons connect that often nets him free tickets to games so Keith tries to find the time to enjoy that perk.

Growing up in Parris Island, just inland off the Atlantic Ocean, there were lots of water activities in his youth. Those formative years gave him a love of the beach life, jet skiing, and crabbing when possible. When his father retired from the Marines, the family moved to the Macon/Warner Robbins area to be closer to his grandparents.

Keith professed that his time working in Monticello has provided many moments of culture shock. He admitted that his first Deer Festival experience “blew him away.” He had never seen or experienced anything close to the hunting atmosphere displayed here during his upbringing. To that extent, many of the animals, wild hogs and turkeys, he has seen on his backroads journey to and from work here has given him a new appreciation for wildlife.

When asked about some of his most memorable experiences at the store, Keith recalled that in his first few months he asked a customer where she was headed. She told him she was going to pick produce, so he wished her well. The next day she returned with a five gallon bucket of vegetables including squash, okra, tomatoes, etc. as a gift for him. Keith said it was generous and thoughtful from someone he didn’t even know. He also remembers the time two girls were fighting outside the store near the gas pumps as they chased each other around.

Whatever the memory, Keith knows he will cherish all that he has learned and seen here.