Greengrocer Grant Terry has bought the former TSB premises at Canongate and plans to expand the outlet further by opening a delicatessen.
Grant, 51, took on the challenge after coming to town last summer to help out his pal Davie Ferguson, who had opened a fruit and veg shop in the old Brown Sugar cafe –across the road from the bank.
He saw the building was for sale and when Davie decided to pack his business in he stepped in to fill the greengrocer void.
Grant said: “I opened up the greengrocers in the old TSB bank two months earlier than planned because Davie, who had the greengrocers shop across the road, pulled out. He’s a friend of mine and he decided he didn’t want to do it anymore.
"The fruit and veg side is up and running and now we will be developing a deli side.
I had a greengrocers/deli in Edinburgh for 33 years in Marchmont Road – called DF McLeod.
“I sold that in July with the intention of retiring but I was bored by August and I came down to help Davie a few times in his shop and that’s when I saw that the bank was up for sale and I bought it
"This is a long-term commitment to Jedburgh, although I still live in Edinburgh because the fruit market is there and I would have had to go back up the road to get the fruit anyway.
"When I came down to help Davie I found that I really liked the place so I decided to go for it – it’s definitely a slower pace of life.
"The response from townsfolk has been good. I think they are glad to have a greengrocer back in town and I think they are happy that I have committed to the area, rather than just opened a shop for two or three months and then leave. The closure of Davie’s shop and this reopening happened over the course of a weekend. This premises is three times the size.
"The name of the premises is going to be the Jedburgh Deli, and we have signage in the process of being made.
"The building is a good size, particularly as we have taken all the banking equipment out that was in the middle, and we’re currently allowing two customers in at a time.”