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Times of the Islands Summer 2022

Presents the "soul of the Turks & Caicos Islands" with in-depth features about local people, culture, history, environment, real estate, businesses, resorts, restaurants and activities.

Presents the "soul of the Turks & Caicos Islands" with in-depth features about local people, culture, history, environment, real estate, businesses, resorts, restaurants and activities.

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TOM RATHGEB<br />

The late Wealthy Forbes served as an agent for Texas Supply, making<br />

orders for Islanders and handling <strong>the</strong> payments.<br />

In describing how payment was made, Forbes remembers<br />

a man named Fred would make trips every few<br />

months and collect from all <strong>the</strong> agents in <strong>the</strong> Caribbean.<br />

Local merchants<br />

Places like Texas Supply also provided goods for <strong>the</strong> small<br />

stores that began popping up in <strong>the</strong> <strong>Islands</strong> in <strong>the</strong> 1970s.<br />

Doreen Been says that Salt Cay Islanders would visit such<br />

stores on Grand Turk until some popped up at home.<br />

“There were small store owners in Salt Cay who would<br />

take trips to Miami for special occasions like Christmas<br />

and Easter. They would get stuff as well from <strong>the</strong> Flea<br />

Market, Texas Supply, and McCrory’s and resell <strong>the</strong>m,”<br />

relates Been-Handfield.<br />

And always, everywhere, <strong>the</strong>re was help from family<br />

members abroad, mostly in The Bahamas and <strong>the</strong> U.S.<br />

Sometimes <strong>the</strong> goods sent via mail or boat were new, and<br />

sometimes <strong>the</strong>y were hand-me-downs, which Been says<br />

were called “bang yang.” Shoes and hats especially were<br />

sent or brought down by family. “Dad and <strong>the</strong>m always<br />

had nice felt hats,” Forbes says <strong>of</strong> his fa<strong>the</strong>r, <strong>the</strong> late<br />

Aaron Forbes. “Dad lived in The Bahamas a while, and he<br />

would bring back shoes and hats for him and my uncles.<br />

Then <strong>the</strong> Kangol hats, when <strong>the</strong>y became popular.”<br />

<strong>Times</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> <strong>Islands</strong> <strong>Summer</strong> <strong>2022</strong> 17

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