By Mark Hansel
NKyTribune managing editor
Friends, family, former employees and elected officials, many of whom fit multiple categories, turned out to honor Robert “Bob” Flick in Hebron Wednesday.
A portion of KY 20, which includes the site of the first Flick’s Foods, was renamed the Robert A. “Bob” Flick Memorial Highway in recognition of the iconic local grocer, who died in November at the age of 70.
State Sen. John Schickel, R-Union, and State Rep. Addia Wuchner R-Florence, co-sponsored a bill during the 2015 legislative session to rename the portion of the road between KY 237 and KY 212 for Flick.
When I think about Bob Flick, I think about the saying, ‘you don’t know what you had ‘til it’s gone,’” Schickel said. “Bob was a very understated individual who never sought the limelight.”
Flick’s widow, Sue Flick, said the dedication was a fitting tribute to her late husband.
“I want to thank everybody from the bottom of my heart for doing this,” she said. Bob would have really loved it. He would be so proud that everybody was here to celebrate it.”
The Flick family opened its first grocery store in Hebron in the 1950s, at a time when the community was much smaller and Flick Foods continued to serve the community for decades.
Another Flick’s Foods followed in Burlington in the early 60s and a large store at Tanner’s Station on KY 237 (North Bend Road) was opened in 2004.
Wuchner, whose son’s first job was at Flick’s, recalled the store’s legendary fried chicken, which she could never duplicate.
“My family wanted me to go to work there, so maybe I would learn how to make that fried chicken,” Wuchner said.
The Burlington Pike store was closed and the land was purchased by the Boone County Public Library. Competition from what Flick called the “big boys” (Kroger Marketplace and Remke Market) led to the closing of the other Flick’s Foods locations.
Flick was remembered fondly Wednesday as the man who brought grocery stores to a part of Boone County at a time when they were sorely needed. The Robert A. Flick Memorial Highway ensures his legacy lives on for generations to come.
Now, if we could just get that fried chicken recipe.