The General Store There are many people who have never seen a general store in their lives, though they may have seen one in movies. The older generations have been in them, mostly when they were younger, and those that live in more rural areas have seen them as well. City folks, though, probably think they are something someone made up. What is great about this type of store is that it is a blast from the past, and they are very much what they were a long time ago. Everyone should experience this type of store at least once in a lifetime. I remember a general store from when I was younger. I grew up in the country, but some would call it a small town. There was a nearby town with a very small population. This town had a general store, and it was always a lot of fun to go there. They still had penny candy, which meant fifty cents could give you enough candy to last a few weeks, as long as you didn’t gobble it down right away. A dime was enough to calm a sweet tooth if that was all that you had. I was recently in another small town about an hour from where I grew up, and was surprised to see that they had a general store. What was great was that they still had the penny candy. Everyone with me got some, and we all marveled that such deals still existed. They also had all of the other things that you would associate with a general store, including a big wheel of cheese from which people could buy a chunk, local crafts for sale, and dusty fishing equipment sitting on a shelf in the back of the store. If you can’t get to a general store near you, you can still find some of the same things they sell in other places. It won’t be the same experience, but you can find some stuff you will not find anywhere else. There are some general stores that sell what they have in their stores over the Internet. Though that might seem to high tech for a simple store that is supposed to remind you of days gone by, the items that you can get are the real deal. If they have something on their shelves, you can order it online. There are also great types of memorabilia you can get as well. Summary The general store is an old fashioned well-loved piece of Americana history. You can still find them every now and then, and they give a great look back at earlier times when life was simple and communities were close knit. General stores usually carry outdoor equipment, candy and food items, and also locally made craft items. Related Articles The General Store - An American Institution Related Sites