BAHAMA - Jay Ellis opened Z&J's Bait, Tackle and Grocery three years ago and knew he'd name the country store after his children, Zack, 9, and Jezzi, 6.

He might look a bit rough around the edges, keeping his boyishly thick hair on the moppy side, sporting two earrings in one ear and often wearing sleeveless tees, but this single father softens immediately at the mention of his children.

They are spending a lot of time this summer hanging out at the shop, watching movies in the back and running around with Roscoe, their German Shepard. Their granddad, Pinky Ellis, comes in most days as well, and it seems they know everyone. In fact, everyone knows everyone.

And that's the point.

Ellis, 38, spent years in landscaping and carpentry before starting up a convenience store out of an Exxon station on Roxboro Road closer to downtown in 2003. But he missed the country scene and moved north to Bahama, 8513 Roxboro Road, a couple years later. Ellis grew up around there and remembered fondly the small, family-owned outfits he frequented for candy, drinks, bait or simply good company.

Though he owns one of the few remaining bait shops servicing Little River and Lake Michie, Ellis says he struggles to stay in business. The drought has affected lake fishing, and rising gas prices are preventing folks from fueling up their boats. In the summer months, fishing gear and bait constitute 90 percent of his business, he said.

But his loyal patrons, all locals, keep him plugging away.

On a recent humid Monday afternoon, about half a dozen Chevrolet trucks were parked in the gravel driveway outside Z&J's. There were equally as many men perched within the store, either nursing a beer, playing one of the arcade games or simply shooting the breeze. A few were retired, and some had lost the day's work landscaping due to rain. All were quite comfortable, however.

Ron Holden held a dripping Coors Lite in one hand, a cigarette in another, and looked right at home in one of the swivel seats Ellis has planted around the modest space decorated with beer, cigarette and NASCAR ads. Country music videos played on the television.

"It's a good place," was the only explanation Holden offered as to why he comes in every day.

Ellis doesn't offer much in the way of meals, yet many of his customers, mainly men, manage to fix a lunch from the prepared sandwiches he keeps refrigerated. He also sells produce that locals grow in their gardens -- tomatoes, onions, potatoes, squash and corn are in season right now.

He tries to offer the basics like breakfast meats, eggs, milk, household cleaners and sweets, in addition to a wide variety of ammunition, lures, reels and minnows.

He also has held a few charity events to raise money for the widows of friends they've lost. A recent cookout, in memory of local farmer Bobby Jones, raised more than $900.

Weekdays can drag, though he gets a crowd when work gets out, most looking for a beer and a moment to relax. Weekends, when the fishing is good, are busy. He wishes the lakes were open every day like they used to be, but the city has stopped staffing them during the week.

Ellis says he knows of men who would be happy to volunteer their time to keep the lakes open on weekdays. (The city said for liability reasons it cannot take volunteers).

He worries the drought-induced lake closures of 2007 will come back to haunt him. When water levels drop, recreational use of the lakes, whose main purpose is drinking water, becomes dangerous.

To keep business going, he's open seven days a week, starting his day at 6 a.m. and going until 8 p.m. during the week, 7 p.m. Saturday and 6 p.m. Sunday.

But he's willing to put in those hours, especially since as his own boss he can have his children around without needing permission.

"Just trying to have something to pass down to the kids," said Ellis, who is determined to keep his country store alive.

"My business don't just help me," he said, it helps the whole community have a place to meet old friends or pick up some odds and ends to save on a long drive to the grocery store.

"In Bahama, we're all family," said Holden.