Our neighborhood store was named The Dutch Confectionary, but everyone called it "Dutchies". They had penny candy under glass separated by wooden dividers. They had meat in the back of the store and ice cream to the right of the counter. Mrs. Valentine owned and ran the store and she was the nicest lady. When I was really young, the store was only open until 6:00, and was closed on Sundays and on Wednesday afternoons. Everything around here was closed on Wednesday afternoons, I'm not sure why.

In those days, we kid would be sent for various items, and often for cigarettes for our parents. When our grandparents gave us a dime or a quarter, we would go get a small brown bag of candy. Mrs. Valentine sold the store to Avondale when I was about 15, and now it is a hairdressing shop.

I haven't thought about our "Corner Store" in years. Thanks for the reminder. We passed it every day on our way home from school and we'd often stop in for penny candy. It even had a soda bar for a few years. The Kletters owned it and we all went to school with their kids and we thought they were so lucky to work there. It's where we would stop for milk and bread or a few staples. Now it's an Allstate office.

Yes my grandparents owned one for years. I can remember if someone was sick or got unexpected company on a Sun. gramps would open the store get the order and deliver it. He passes away twenty years ago then the son built a what he thought was a bigger and better one and guess what it's no longer in business. We still have one about four miles from us run by a father and three sons. Still has the old fashioned meat counter where meat is cut fresh everyday. They repaint the old wood floor green every year. It's a great store.

mine was right on vine street (of hollywood and vine) it was a tiny pharmacy, which sold penny candy as well...i used to buy malted milk tablets in a glass container. never remember anyone but the pharmacist being there...

Ours was called Tommy's Market it was down the street from Gram's house and everyone went there! It also ended up being our bus stop when we got school busses! Tommy had muscular dystrophy, but he worked in that store every day.

They had a big case of penny candy and I remember one day that Tommy fell. I was kneeling in front of the case and Tommy fell forward onto the case. I caught it and held it while screaming for help. His brother came running and got him up. Tommy's mother got there and moved the case off me. She kept telling my mom how I saved Tommy, I don't know about that. I guess if I were not there the case would hav e toppled and Tommy into it. Don't know.

But I do remember Grammy sending me there to get a dime's worth of bologna!!! Now that sure wouldn't go far!!

We had a little grocery store right on the other side of the block. Sometimes when I can't sleep at night I try to remember where everything was organized inside. I haven't been in there in over 20 years. It isn't a grocery store anymore - it's a tobacco shop and DH usually goes over there when we visit my parents but I like to remember it the way it was.

I especially remember the ice cream freezer where they sold twin pops (vanilla, blue raspberry, and root beer were my favorite flavors), snow cones, bomb pops, little ice cream cups with wooden spoons and lots more. I bought a lot of meat from the meat counter too. My mom always had me buy spiced ham, cubed steaks and I remember the fish cakes they had during lent.

Up until I was in elementary school, there was a store that sold penny candy on Main St. I remember the line of kids in there waiting their turn. It was the late 70s and we could afford a lot of penny candy (I'll take 50 swedish fish, um, um, um, 10 of these, um, um, um, 20 of these, etc). It took a lot of patience to work the penny candy counter. No wonder it didn't stay in business much longer.

Oh, what great memories this post brings back for me. Our little country store was about a mile and a half sown the road from our house. What a great little store it was. They had one gas pump and didn't carry anything fancy except for penny candy. Oh how I remember those little brown bags and being able to fill one of those little bags with all kinds of candy on special occasions. I also remember that wonderful cheese that they used to sell. It was big wheels of cheese and was wrapped in cheesecloth. My mom used to always call it "hoop" cheese but I think it was probably colby cheese...not really sure. But, I can remember my dad buying chunks of it and us eating it on the way home. In the summer, my cousins and I would walk to the store just to have something to do. I think we were afforded the luxury of a popsicle occasionally. Funny how trusting people were back then. The people that ran the store just had a little book and people were allowed to charge their groceries when times were hard.

I don't have to 'remember'. We still have a mom/pop grocery store about 5 miles from me. They raise their own beef, butcher it, and sell it in their old, old, old, store that has been kept as much to the original building as possible. For as small a place as it is, I'm amazed at some of the things I can find there at times. (And they deliver to the shut-ins that live close by.) I get panicky when I hear they're thinking of closing down.

Shirley

I grew up in Buffalo, there was a store we just called "The Candy Store" two blocks away. They had an ad for Kool cigarettes on the door "Come In-It's Kool Inside"-they had air conditioning. They sold popsickles and sherbet on a stick, as well as single pretzel rods and all kinds of penny candies. You could go in there with a nickel and come out with a bag of goodies. Next door was the beauty shop where my Grandma got her hair set every week. Women don't do that anymore-get their hair set. We moved away when I was eleven. Shortly before that the candy store closed and was torn down for a new highway.

Don't forget the pickle barrel! Huge dill pickles in a wooden barrel. Loved those things!

There was a little store up the road from us when I was a kid. It was in a house and they had turned their living room into a small store. It was the only store in the area at the time. It was within walking distance for us and we didn't have to cross the road either so we were allowed to go on our own. They carried just the essentials (bread, milk, canned goods, etc.) as well as candy, soft drinks, chips, and ice cream. For 15 cents we could get a bag of chips (5 cents), a bottle of Coke (8 cents) and then 2 cents worth of 3-for-one-cent candy in a tiny paper bag. We always hoped that Mrs. A. was tending the store because she would give us a few extra candies in our bag. He would only give us the 6 candies we paid for.

Yep, sure do...Happy's Store at the Jasmine Corner! LOL
I lived out in the country and my cousin and I used to walk to his store. My DB claimed that the fresh sliced bologna was so good cause Happy let the cat lick the slicer! LOL (ugh!)

We went in one day and asked Happy if he had any bacon. We were gonna make BLTs. He frowned a minute, shook his head and spit into his spitcup and said, "Naaaaw. I had some yesterday, but we ran out." To which we told him, "Happy, we can't make sandwiches with the bacon that you had YESTERDAY!" LOL

He and his wife are both gone now. The old building was torn down a few years ago. I wish I had asked his wife for just one thing out of the store.

Awww....good memories - thanks!

We had one also.Lived in a smalltown.Ours was called Truehearts .That was the mans real name.(native american ,as was most of the town.

Anyway we could go get bread milk etc and put it on the tab that my dad would pay at the end of the week.Seems like there was only wonder bread back then,with the polka dot wrappers.
We could also go and get a 10,15,20,25 cent ice cream sandwich,that was served between two crispy waffles,like a cone,but waffles.He'd bring out the box of Hersheys ice cream and cut a slice as big as we wanted.

Ham& chesse and all lunch meats didn't come pre packaged then,they sliced it fresh then, a dollars worth,etc.

This was the place where we waited for our school bus every morning,as school was in the next town over.AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH,the good old days.Late 40's,early 50's.

In 1963 we were stationed in New Hampshire,and lived in Kittery maine.There was a little general store down the street that also let us put things on a tab til payday,which came in handy a time or two.
Kathi

We lived on a busy street. State Route 99 ran right through town and that section was named Cherokee Lane (in Lodi, CA). It was a mix of residential and business. On one corner, next door to our house was a bar (and at the ripe old age of 5, I spent lots of time in the back of that bar, scarfing down pizza and visiting with the owners). On the other side, next to our next door neighbors, was Carl's Market, owned and operated by an older Chinese couple. My brothers and I spent lots of time there, too. It was soooo tiny, about half the size of our house. I was convinced that there was something wonderful and magic going on behind the curtain, which served as a door to the back room behind the counter. I remember buying Boston Baked Beans (which we always called Rabbit Turds). And Carl had several gumball machines at the front of the store. No prizes in them, but if you got a yellow gumball with brown stripes (actually made of wood), you could redeem it at the counter for a prize. Our favorites were the brightly colored rabbit's feet (gross, now, but we thought they were wonderful then).

Donna mentioning that bar reminded me of another business a couple of doors down from the store I talked about. This was a bar owned by an Italian family that made pizza in the back. We would call up and order a half tray or tray (pizza was always ordered by the 'tray' in the area I grew up) and then we would walk up to the back door to pick it up. The wife of the owner and either her or his elderly mother would be in this tiny kitchen with a HUGE oven, making one of the most delicious pizza I've ever eaten. It was square and it had the best sauce and cheese.

I doubt they could pass all the healthy and safety regulations that are required now.

I don't remember the name of the grocry store my grandmother shopped at but they use to deliver her groceries. My grandmother did not drive so she would call them, tell them what she wanted and I assume someone would go around with a buggy and do her shopping, and they would deliver it and she would pay them.

I remember May's 5 and 10 cent store. I had a thing about watches. They had the child kind that looked like the womens watches. I had one in every color and remember they only cost 5 cents apiece. I had a ton of those watches. I wanted to look grown up. My grandmother was a teacher and at 4 years old she told me that if I would learn how to tell time when I got in school she would buy me a real one.(the play ones bands would keep breaking) I didn't want to wait til I got in school, so I made her teach me to tell time at 5 years old. She got a paper plate and fixed up hands on it and that is the way she taught me to tell time. LOL After I got in school we would walk to school everyday as she taught 6th grade where I went to school. We did that until I went on to high school.

Is this too much information? LOL

My dad's family all owned the neighborhood grocery stores.

I helped out in dad's.
He was the local butcher as well. And I got to pull out the pickled pigs feet, ox tals, eggs for the customers and wrap.

AND Ralph, the delivery boy.
Dad had a jeep that Ralph drove to deliver the phoned in orders.

And the window painters that came weekly to paint on the store specials.

And those times of the year when we would have to hand count inventory.

Then Krogers opened right up the street. First food chain in my town.

Dad stayed in business a while longer, until doctor told him his heart could not take the long hours and work any longer.

We lived out in the country and the dirt road in front of our house went into the next town. There was a corner store at the very beginning of that street in the next town. When my Mom needed anything I would saddle up a horse and ride the couple of miles to get there. I would tie the horse to the bannister that led to Pee Wee's house (the store was in the front) and get what was needed. Then ride the horse home with my Mom's goods.

When I was just a tot I used to go up the street to Louie's drug store to buy my mom's ciggies while she watched from a distance. Imagine that today.

At the river we spent our summers at there was a little general store with a butcher section. They would give my brother and I the fresh cut chicken feet to play with. We would have chicken feet fights. LOL No salmonella worries in those days. How ever did we survive? LOL

I have thoroughly enjoyed these walks down memory lane about grocery stores.

One I remember from when I was 7 yrs old: Dad got paid every other week. From one pay to the next, Mom would send us to get things from the little mom/pop grocery in our area and have us tell the owners to 'put it on the bill'. I never saw the transaction where this bill was paid on paydays. So one day I took 6 of my friends from school there, got each of us a candy bar, and said "put it on the bill". The lady asked if my parents knew about this. I lied and said yes. That night my Mom had to sit me down and explain what it really meant about putting it on the bill.

Shirley

When we moved from the city of Buffalo out to the suburbs, we kids quickly found a gas station nearby that sold bottles of cold sodapop out of a freezer full of ice chips. It was called "Dad's Garage" and the owner was an older man (older than my Dad) named Al. He's been gone and Dad's has been closed for probably 35 years. This is a wonderfful thread. I posted twice-two of my hangouts.

We had a store called Lynch's market. It seemed like a really big store, but in reality, I was small and it just seemed big. I think it had 4 or 5 isles in it.
All mom's shopping was done there, and it was put on a tab to be paid at the end of the month.
Fast forward 40 or so years, now I have a small store around the corner from me that sells everything from sunglasses to a few grocery items. It is owned by a family.
I have gone there for over 20 years, although it has changed hands a couple of times, they know me well enough and will gracefully stock odd things that I like if I ask them to.
One time on of my kids had taken my last $20.00 bill out of my purse (I was so mad) and after I gassed up went to pay the bill and had no money. They told me just to pay them next time I came by. I will be loyal to them always for that gesture.

Trin

AMAZING stories everyone, i could write a book but i wont lol..youve given me some really good memories that id forgotten all about..including buying parents ciggys and being able to walk down the street alone at such a very young age!! i needed a pick me up tonite! this was great because i love these types of things.

Have not been here in long time. This thread hits home big time. My Grandparents had a small mom and pop store. My parents took it over when they got married.( it was my moms parents store) we lived above the store. Huge Kitchen,dinning room. living room, bath and three bedrooms. Plus the was an apartment in back to rent.
Our store was open 365 days a year. 8 a.m. till 11p.m.
We sold lots of canned goods fresh cut lunch meat, fresh produce,penny candy cereals, fresh meats on week-ends only. We also delivered on week-ends. Many times some folks would knock on our back door after closing, and say my baby needs milk,or bread. Invite them in and share coffee and sometimes even a meal. We always had extra people around the dinner table. They could all smell my moms great cooking.
As kids my brother, sister and I would take turns going into Pittsburgh to the produce yards with my dad, we had so much fun. Of course I picked out the candy for penny candy case. we also had alot of people running tabs. Most of the time they would pay. If they didn't my dad would say , "oh they are having hard times forget about it. It was in one family for 73 years. Now it's a pizza shop. Thanks for the trip down memory lane. I sure do miss those days.

There was a little store called Stewarts were I grew up. It was by our school. My sister and I were the only kids allowed in without parental supervision because we could be trusted not to steal the candy! My parents really didn't buy much there as everything cost a little more than at the bigger grocery stores and they were very thrifty. It has been fifty years since I've been back to that area so I'm fairly certain it is long gone.

Thanks everyone. This has been fun reading .

My husband and I recently purchased a foreclosed grocery store that has been in our small community since the 1950's. This was a wonderful post and I want to reopen our store so that it helps our community and brings back some of the warmth and friendliness of the past. Any suggestions of how we can compete with the big guys and what would you like to see brought back? (So far, it's been the meat counter!) Thanks!

I don't have any real good ideas for competing with the big box stores, obviously their prices are going to be lower, but I don't always think that it is better. You can give your store your own personal touch, and make all your customers feel welcome. You do not get that at the big stores.
Maybe you could have some type of bulletin board, with local events and happenings posted on there. Like upcoming functions at school, local library, fire dept. etc. A place where people can check out the local happenings.
Another thought might be, when groceries are being packed, you could add a little slip of paper in the bag with a thought for the day. This could be a new one each week or however often you felt like changing it.
Another thing, could you have a suggestion box some where in the store asking customers, what they would like you to add to the inventory? Of course you can't appease everyone but you may be surprised to see what some people want that you never thought you would sell much of.
Don't have any more ideas at the moment, but I think you are on the right track. Most importantly, letting your customers know that you really care and this is a fun place to be is what will make them keep coming back.
Good Luck!!!!

I remember the little store that was about a block from our house. They sold a little bit of everything, including gasoline and livestock feed. In the evenings, you would go in there and they would sprinkle sawdust on the floor and sweep it up. The owners lived on the side of the building. I used to save soda bottles and sell them...seems like they were 3 cents, and maybe then they went to five cents. I had a goat that pulled a cart and I would load my bottles in the cart and we would go to "Albritton's". With the money, I would buy candy and sodas, including a black bing cherry soda for my goat. :)

My mother would send me there to buy "lunch meat" in the summer. They would slice bologna or chopped ham and wrap it in white paper. There was an old man who lived on the edge of town, Frank Smith. He had been in the Spanish American war. He drove a buckboard and would come into town and tie his horse at the big oaks next to the store and get a sack of horse feed and a few supplies. I used to love to go pet the horse when Frank came to town.

Nice memories of growing up in a very small community.

Today I buy feed at a store that is a modern general store.
They have a lunch counter, sell groceries, hardware, feed, and have a gift shop. We try to give them as much business as possible. They have been in business since 1924.

My grandfather and later my dad owned the Royal Blue store in Riverside, Ill. When I was in jr high I would take the train after school from Hinsdale to help out. Pay probably wasn't that good but breaks were fun. I could help myself to a Nehi and a pack of twinkies! (Or better yet, Snowballs) Popsicles were 7 cents or you could get vanilla ice cream in a cup...and you saved the top? But I forgot why.
The store had 4 aisles with the meat counter in the back. There were 2 registers in the front but usually only 1 cashier. The produce was all fresh . There was 1 brand of milk-Dean's. There was Wonderbread and if you didn't want white, there was something called Roman Meal.My dad was also the butcher. Hotdogs came linked together. Sometimes I made the ground beef.
There was delivery and you knew the names of the people who shopped with us.
A name store (IGA? Krogers? A&P?) opened close by and, short story, we moved to Florida in '66.
The first time my mom went to shop at Publix she had sticker shock. Gone were the days when she could call my dad with a list of what to bring home from the store. lol
Thanks for this post and the memory trip. :)

One of the things I remember is buying a HUGE sour pickle in a big open wooden barrel for a nickle or a dime. They were the best pickles. I always bought one on the way home from grade school. The health laws nowadays wouldn't let you do that anymore.
Clare

When I grew up we had Anderson's Market and it was great...You could call your order in and they would even deliver...They also made the best cheese spread and ham salad. My kids still talk about stopping at Anderson's for the spreads..I lived on a farm and often Anderson's would buy our meat...For the longest time, I didn't know what they did with the calves they bought, sniff....To this day, I can't eat veal.....
Where we live now, there was a small candy store/gas station not too far from us...The kids would always have to stop and get their penny candy and they didn't care if it smelled like gasoline...The guy would pump your gas and then fill your candy bag! Talk about health laws.....

From age 7 to 10 we lived in a very small town, it was the late 1970s. We (me, brother, and friends) walked or rode our bikes from one end of the that town to the other all summer. There was a mom&pop grocery, hard wood floors and banging screen door and all. They had a freezer with the sliding door on top from which we could pick ice cream treats. As soon as we could get a quarter or two, we'd ride our bikes up there (drop them all on the side walk, no locks) and buy ice cream. There was a Ben Franklin store across the street. In my memory, it's like a scene out of the beginning of coming-of-age type movie, when everything is still innocent and perfect and life is all about sweet treats and childhood friends.

Now, we have a quaint main street like that. There are even some small shops, including a mom & pop drug store. But the 2 miles between here and there has way too much traffic to be safe for my kids to ride their bikes there.