Step back in time to the 1950s when the Texaco service station was the hotspot of Reidland.

Mr. Jim Nunn headed the establishment and was well known among the community for handing out candy to the children along with excellent customer service for all of the community’s car needs. Fast-forward six decades and the old gas station that once bustled with business was no longer. Its crisp white walls had chipped away, and the bold red gas station pumps were removed. The Texaco station had long been forgotten by the community with the exception of one resident.

Dr. Scott Bridges remembers the old Texaco service station fondly. “My dad hung out there a lot, and he actually rebuilt an engine for Mr. Nunn in one of these garage spaces here,” as he points to the building. He also recalls being a young child and visiting the Texaco service station. “We would get excited to stop and see Nunny!” Mr. Nunn was called ‘Nunny’ by the children and always had candy for them.

Dr. Bridges’ personal connections to the old building played a part in why he chose it for his dental practice. He looked at a lot of buildings in Paducah. But he grew up in Reidland, and his parents still lived in the community. “I know the community, and the people here are great,” he explained.

To help make his dental practice become a reality, Paducah Bank created a financial plan to meet Dr. Bridges’ needs. “Paducah Bank was great to work with. They really went out of their way to accommodate me and the special conditions of a dental practice. The lenders were fantastic. They gave me more than money. They gave me encouragement. I’m a long-time Paducah Bank customer because of their service.”

The new dental office resembles the look and feel of a 1950s service station. “I was trying to figure out what to make the building look like. I was lying in bed one night and it just dawned on me. You know, I could make that look like an old gas station,” says Dr. Bridges. And what do the patients say about the decor? “They love it! The first thing people say when they come in here is that it really feels like home. They say it doesn’t feel like you are in a dental office, which is exactly what I was going for. That’s really important to me. I want people to be really comfortable when they come in. It makes a huge difference.”

Though the Smile Station is new to Paducah, Dr. Bridges has been practicing dentistry since 2003. After completing dental school at the University of Louisville, he returned to Paducah to begin his dental career. He partnered with a local dental office and bought a practice in Clarksville, Tennessee called Bridges Dental Care. But the commute to Clarksville was lengthy, and he wanted to practice closer to home. That’s when he developed the idea of the Smile Station.

“Bringing someone’s smile back is such a great feeling!” says Dr. Bridges. He says to soothe patients who may have a fear of the dentist, he starts by getting to know his patients. “By creating a relationship with patients, it helps them understand that I am here to help them. Really listening to people makes all the difference.” Mr. Nunn went above and beyond in customer service with his Texaco station, and Dr. Bridges aspires to do the same with his Smile Station.

If you are a Paducah Bank small business customer and would like to be featured in an upcoming story, please email Susan Guess at [email protected]