SASABE, Ariz. (KGUN) — Have you ever been to Sasabe, Arizona? Well, it's quite the small town. But if you find yourself passing through, there is a bright yellow building that stands out against the quiet desert landscape. It is the only store in Sasabe, and it has been there for more than a century.
At the counter, you will find Deborah Grider, a fourth-generation Sasabe resident and the third generation in her family to run the Sasabe Store. She says the job is more than just business.
"It’s not about the money. It’s about the people," Grider says.
However, there aren't many residents. Grider explains, “Well, there’s only three of us that live here right now.”
Even in a town this small, Grider says no two days are the same.
Her family’s ties to Sasabe go deep. Not only has the store been in the family for generations, but her relatives once owned the entire town, “from the late 1800s and then until my family sold it in the '70s to a family in Mexico.”
The store functions as a one-stop shop for anyone passing through the border town. It offers everything from fuel to medicine, playing cards to clothing, and even something a little unexpected.
"Kids ask their parents can you stop so we can see the chicken machine, the chicken machine!” inserting a quarter into the chicken machine will pop out an egg, containing a little prize.
Though the items on the shelves vary, the mission behind the store has not changed. “That's the way my grandfather was and my mother, we help people. You don't expect something in return. You get it every day from other people," Grider says.
Every Tuesday, Grider drives to Tucson to restock. “When I go to Tucson, I say good morning to people in the store, and they just look at me like, ‘What’s up with her?’”
She loves being able to greet people everyday in her store, and treat everyone with kindess. “If they’re not happy when they come in, I try to make them happy before they leave," Grider says.
The secret to success? Grider says customer service. "We cater to everybody," she explains.
Whether you pass through regularly, or happen to make the trip down to Sasabe, Deborah will be there to greet you with a warm welcome.
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Athena Kehoe is a reporter for KGUN 9, she joined the KGUN 9 team in July of 2024 after graduating from Arizona State University. Share your story ideas with Athena by emailing athena.kehoe@kgun9.com or by connecting on X/Twitter.
