The new year got off to a great start for one local 15-year-old. Markell Hill of Greenville lost his wallet – stuffed with $500 in Christmas cash – at the Haywood Mall while clothes shopping in Dec. His mother, Rachel Butler, a single mother of two who scrimped in order to provide her kids with a “decent Christmas,” was so depressed she could hardly sleep.
When Markell returned to the mall with a friend on New Year’s Day, the owner of the Street Corner shop in the food court, Vipin “Vick” Patel, recognized him from a photo in the wallet. He’d found the billfold near the coffee machine before closing that day during the post-holiday rush, and had a feeling that its owner would return at some point. He gave the wallet back to the grateful teen with all of its contents intact.
Mr. Patel, who has owned that store for 17 years, is clearly an honest entrepreneur who values his customers. We feel his integrity epitomizes everything we seek in our franchisees and wanted to see him receive some recognition for this good deed.
Three local news stations picked up the story.