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By JANE BANGLEY
Rappahannock New* Staff Writer
Many businessmen agree that the best way to avoid financial difficulties is through diversification so that if one part of a business has problems there are other business interests to fall back on. Elmer Atkins has had that spirit of diversification throughout his life.
Atkins was bom and raised in Rappahannock, and tells an interesting story of his beginning in the cider business that has been a constant in his life since 1942. “In 1942, my father and I decided that cider would be a good business so we took some apples to Stephens City and had cider made,” said Atkins. “We came back and had our apples and the cider out in the yard, and a flood took everything away.”
Atkins continued having cider made, though, and he began selling apples on regular routes. He sold the cider in a small road-side stand. In 1962, Atkins began making cider in his own press, and began making cider for other people. Atkins is the only person in Rappahannock to do custom pressing for others.
Another addition was made to Atkins’ business interests in 1967 when he took over the Phillip’s 66 Station on Route 211. He gave up his apple routes at^that time, and began selling antiques, apples, cider “and a little bit of everything” at the station. “Other people had tried to run the station, and hadn’t been able to make a go of it,” At
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