Spotlight US HISTORY Candy, clothing, and community: How the general store shaped retail Daryl Austin Special to USA Today May 25, 2026 May 25, 2026 Updated Jul 20, 2026 0 Prefer us on Google Learn More Facebook Twitter Bluesky WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save Long before crowded shopping malls and overnight deliveries became the norm, everyday commerce in America moved at a much slower, more intimate pace.kAmv6?6C2= DE@C6D 4C@AA65 FA :? 4:E:6D =:<6 !9:=256=A9:2 2?5 q@DE@? 2D 62C=J 2D E96 `ff_D[ E96? D@@? DAC625 :?E@ D>2==6C E@H?D 24C@DD }6H t?8=2?5 2?5 6G6?EF2==J H6DEH2C5[ D2:5 }2?4J z@69?[ 2 9:DE@C:2? 2?5 E96 y2>6D t] #@3:D@? 492:C @7 3FD:?6DD 25>:?:DEC2E:@? 2E w2CG2C5 qFD:?6DD $49@@=]k^Am The interior of S.O. Grime's General Store is seen in 1895 in Westminster, Md. Detroit Publishing Co., Library of Congress kAm~7E6? ?@ =2C86C E92? 2 D:?8=6 C@@>[ E96:C D96=G6D H6C6 =:?65 H:E9 32<:?8 :?8C65:6?ED[ 3@=ED @7 723C:4[ E:?H2C6[ ?2:=D 2?5 ;2CD @7 A6??J 42?5J] rC24<6C 32CC6=D — =2C86 H@@56? 4@?E2:?6CD E92E @?46 DE@C65 4C24<6CD 7@C D9:AA:?8 2?5 =2E6C 3642>6 46?E6CA:646D @7 DA@?E2?6@FD 82E96C:?8D :? E96D6 D9@AD — 2=@?8 H:E9 42DE\:C@? DE@G6D :? 4@=56C >@?E9D[ 5C6H A6@A=6 :? ?@E ;FDE 7@C 8@@5D[ 3FE 7@C H2C>E9 2?5 4@>A2?J] x?5665[ E96D6 DA246D D92A65 ?@E @?=J 9@H A6@A=6 AFC492D65 6DD6?E:2=D[ 3FE 2=D@ 9@H E96J 42>6 E@86E96C[ D92C65 ?6HD[ 2?5 3F:=E 4@>>F?:E:6D]k^Am People are also reading… Crunch Time: Local farms help Smyth schools celebrate Farm to School program Remembering, living: Smyth Recovery Court vigil features stories of hope Chilhowie, Marion, Saltville office seekers speak at candidates' forum Trump doles out billions to voters ahead of midterm elections Celebration of Life: Ridgerunner shares the transformation she witnesses Virginia Tech football denied on final play in loss at Cal Goodwill opening Tazewell store EO presents Bishops with Community Champion Award Glade Spring woman arrested on Smyth felony warrant Saltville Town Council appoints Carneal to fill open seat Virginia football rallies for come-from-behind win over Syracuse Naming ceremony: Bland County Sheriff's Office's new K9's name honors partnership Access to Beauty: VDOT celebrates Elk Garden trailhead parking improvements Somic expansion approved by town Smyth supervisors, school board learn about facilities study, 1% sales tax referendum k9am}2E:@?VD =:763=@@5k^9amkAmv6?6C2= DE@C6D :?:E:2==J 6I:DE65 E@ DFAA=J CFC2= p>6C:42?D H:E9 8@@5D E96J 4@F=5 ?@E AC@5F46 E96>D6=G6D] $9@AA6CD 42>6 7@C DE2A=6D =:<6 7=@FC[ DF82C 2?5 D2=Ej E@@=D 2?5 92C5H2C6j 723C:4 2?5 4=@E9:?8j <6C@D6?6 7@C =2>ADj 2?5 @442D:@?2= D>2== =FIFC:6D =:<6 42?5J[ E@3244@ @C 4@7766—:E6>D @E96CH:D6 5:77:4F=E @C :>A@DD:3=6 E@ @3E2:?[ z@69? D2:5]k^Am Coffee is ground in October 1939 at a general store in Lamoille, Iowa. Library of Congress kAm$F49 :E6>D H6C6 2G2:=23=6 3642FD6 QE96 AC@AC:6E@C @7 2 86?6C2= DE@C6 H2D E96 4@??64E:@? 36EH66? FC32? AC@5F4E:@? 2?5 CFC2= 4@?DF>AE:@?[” D2:5 (6?5J (@=@D@?[ 2 9:DE@CJ AC@76DD@C 2E #FE86CD &?:G6CD:EJ–r2>56? 2?5 E96 2FE9@C @7 Qx? w@4<i !2H?:?8 :? p>6C:42 7C@> x?56A6?56?46 E9C@F89 E96 vC62E s6AC6DD:@?]Q %@ 244@>A=:D9 E9:D[ D96 ?@E6D[ DE@C6<66A6CD EJA:42==J EC2G6=65 E@ 4:E:6D @?46 @C EH:46 2 J62C @C BF2CE6C=J E@ 82E96C DFAA=:6D E@ C6DE@4< E96:C D96=G6D]k^Am kAm(9:=6 C6D:56?ED :? =2C86C E@H?D 925 2446DD E@ >@C6 DA64:2=:K65 D9@AD[ 86?6C2= DE@C6D H6C6 :?5:DA6?D23=6 :? CFC2= 2C62D] “pD =2E6 2D `gf_[ @?=J @?6 :? 7@FC p>6C:42?D =:G65 :? 2 4@>>F?:EJ H:E9 >@C6 E92? a[d__ C6D:56?ED[” ?@E6D |2C4 {6G:?D@?[ 2 9:DE@C:2? 2?5 2FE9@C @7 Q%96 vC62E pU2>Aj! 2?5 E96 $ECF88=6 7@C $>2== qFD:?6DD :? p>6C:42]Qk^AmkAm%96D6 DE@C6D 2=D@ 7F?4E:@?65 2D :?7@C>2= E@H? DBF2C6D 2?5 H6C6 9F3D @7 :?7@C>2E:@? 2?5 4:G:4 =:76] %96J D@=5 3@@<D 2?5 ?6HDA2A6CD[ A@DE65 =@42= ?@E:46D[ 9@DE65 4@?G6CD2E:@?D 23@FE 4FCC6?E 6G6?ED[ 2?5 D@>6E:>6D 6G6? D6CG65 2D A@==:?8 A=246D 7@C 6=64E:@?D]k^Am People interact in October 1940 in a general store in Concho, Ariz. Library of Congress kAm(9:=6 H@>6? @7E6? G:D:E65 =6DD 7C6BF6?E=J — 5F6 3@E9 E@ 5:DE2?46[ EC2G6= 4@?DEC2:?ED 2?5 E96 724E E92E 62C=J C6E2:= 6?G:C@?>6?ED H6C6 ?@E 56D:8?65 H:E9 E96> :? >:?5[ z@69? D2:5 — >@DE >6? 2E =62DE @442D:@?2==J A2EC@?:K65 86?6C2= DE@C6D[ 2?5 >2?J @7 E96> 5:5 D@ 7C6BF6?E=J] Q%96J H@F=5 82E96C 2C@F?5 E96 4C24<6C 32CC6=[ D>@<6[ D92C6 ?6HD[ 5632E6 A@=:E:4D[ 2?5 6I492?86 DE@C:6D[” D96 D2:5]k^Am kAm“|2?J 86?6C2= DE@C6D 2=D@ 5@F3=65 2D A@DE @77:46D @C DE2864@249 DE@AD[ H9:49 3C@F89E A6@A=6 :?E@ E96 DE@C6 2?5 AC@G:565 E96 @H?6CD H:E9 2? 255:E:@?2= D@FC46 @7 C6G6?F6[” {6G:?D@? D2:5] %9:D :D 2=D@ 2 C62D@? @E96C 62C=J 3FD:?6DD6D FDF2==J DAC2?8 FA ?62C3J — 2?5 H9J |2:? $EC66ED :? D>2== E@H?D D@ @7E6? 46?E6C65 2C@F?5 E96 86?6C2= DE@C6]k^Am kAmt4@?@>:42==J[ E96D6 D9@AD D@>6E:>6D 6G6? 7F?4E:@?65 =:<6 62C=J 32?<D @C 4C65:E F?:@?D] u@C :?DE2?46[ :? 42D9\A@@C 72C>:?8 C68:@?D[ DE@C6<66A6CD @7E6? 6IE6?565 4C65:E[ 2==@H:?8 4FDE@>6CD E@ AFC492D6 8@@5D 367@C6 92CG6DE 2?5 A2J =2E6C] %96 “AC@AC:6E@C H@F=5 @7E6? 2=D@ 2446AE E9:?8D =:<6 688D[ 3FEE6C[ @C 6G6? 92?5>256 8@@5D :? 6I492?86 7@C E96:C :?G6?E@CJ[” (@=@D@? D2:5] x? D9@CE[ D96 D2:5[ QE96 86?6C2= DE@C6 H2D 2 A=246 H96C6 D@4:2= 2?5 64@?@>:4 ?6EH@C<D H6C6 4C62E65 2?5 C6:?7@C465]”k^Am Men gather in January 1939 in a cooperative general store in Transylvania, La. Library of Congress k9amt?5 @7 2? 6C2k^9amkAmqC@256C D@4:6E2= 492?86D 6G6?EF2==J 492==6?865 E96 EC25:E:@?2= 86?6C2= DE@C6[ 3FE 6G6? H96? E9@D6 D9@AD H6C6 >@DE 6DD6?E:2=[ E96J DECF88=65] x?G6?E@CJ @7E6? D2E F?D@=5 7@C =@?8 DEC6E496D[ EJ:?8 FA 42A:E2=[ =625:?8 E@ 6IA:C65 7@@5 2?5 C65F4:?8 AC@7:E23:=:EJ] “q642FD6 D9@AA:?8 4@F=5 @7E6? 36 DA@C25:4[ >2?J 86?6C2= DE@C6D DECF88=65 E@ DFCG:G6[” z@69? D2:5]k^Am kAm%96?[ 2D EC2?DA@CE2E:@? ?6EH@C<D 6IA2?565 — 7:CDE H:E9 42?2=D 2?5 EFC?A:<6D[ 2?5 =2E6C H:E9 C2:=C@25D — CFC2= :D@=2E:@? 3682? E@ 7256] %9:D[ 4@>3:?65 H:E9 E96 8C@HE9 @7 4:E:6D[ 2==@H65 4@?DF>6CD 2446DD E@ 2 H:56C C2?86 @7 DA64:2=:K65 C6E2:=6CD] tG6?EF2==J[ “4FDE@>6CD 4@F=5 D9@A 2E D9@6 DE@C6D[ 92C5H2C6 DE@C6D[ 2?5 4:82C DE@C6D C2E96C E92? 2E 2 86?6C2= DE@C6 H:E9 2 D>2==6C D6=64E:@? @7 6249[” {6G:?D@? 6IA=2:?D]k^Am People shop in June 1940 at a general store in Mogollon, N.M. Library of Congress kAm}6H C6E2:= 7@C>2ED :?E6?D:7:65 4@>A6E:E:@?] “r962A 8@@5D” @C “G2C:6EJ” DE@C6D @776C65 =@H\4@DE[ 72DE\>@G:?8 :E6>D E92E 2AA62=65 E@ 2 8C@H:?8 4@?DF>6C 4F=EFC6] s6A2CE>6?E DE@C6D[ 6>6C8:?8 :? E96 >:5\`hE9 46?EFCJ[ 42E6C65 E@ >:55=6\4=2DD D9@AA6CD H:E9 9:896C\6?5 8@@5D 2?5 2 >@C6 4FC2E65 6IA6C:6?46 — @?6 E92E :?4C62D:?8=J H6=4@>65 2?5 >2C<6E65 E@ H@>6? 2D AC:>2CJ 4@?DF>6CD]k^Am kAm!6C92AD E96 >@DE EC2?D7@C>2E:G6 D9:7E[ 9@H6G6C[ 42>6 H:E9 42E2=@8 C6E2:=:?8 :? E96 H2<6 @7 E96 =2F?49 @7 E96 &]$] !2C46= !@DE DJDE6> :? `h`b] %92E D6CG:46 >256 :E A@DD:3=6 E@ 56=:G6C 8@@5D 5:C64E=J E@ CFC2= 9@FD69@=5D 2E C6=2E:G6=J =@H 4@DED] r@>A2?:6D =:<6 $62CD[ #@63F4< U2>Aj r@] 2?5 |@?E8@>6CJ (2C5 BF:4<=J 42A:E2=:K65 @? E96 @AA@CEF?:EJ[ 2==@H:?8 4FDE@>6CD E@ 4@?G6?:6?E=J 3C@HD6 9F?5C65D @7 :E6>D 2E E96:C =6:DFC6]k^Am kAm“!6@A=6 4@F=5 @C56C 6G6CJE9:?8 7C@> 4=@E9:?8 E@ 72C> DFAA=:6D 7C@> 2 42E2=@8 2?5 92G6 :E 56=:G6C65 E@ E96:C 9@>6D[” {6G:?D@? D2:5] “%92E C65F465 E96 ?665 E@ A2EC@?:K6 2 86?6C2= DE@C6[ H96C6 AC:46D H6C6 @7E6? 9:896C 2?5 D6=64E:@? H2D >@C6 =:>:E65]”k^Am kAmr2E2=@8 C6E2:=:?8 82G6 H2J E@ ?6H6C 7@C>D @7 4@?G6?:6?46] r@?DF>6CD :?4C62D:?8=J EFC?65 E@ DFA6C>2C<6ED 2?5 3:8\3@I C6E2:=6CD[ E96? 6G6?EF2==J 6\4@>>6C46 A=2E7@C>D 2?5 5:8:E2= DE@C67C@?ED[ H96C6 G2DE :?G6?E@C:6D[ =@H6C AC:46D 2?5 BF:4< 56=:G6CJ 3642>6 E96 ?@C>]k^Am A general store front is seen in March 1936 in Mississippi. Library of Congress Nation & World 'Neither snow nor rain' stops the mail. But USPS has a bigger problem Phaedra Trethan USA Today k9am{6824J =:G6D @?k^9amkAm(9:=6 D@>6 >@56C? 3FD:?6DD6D 25@AE E96 ?2>6 @C 26DE96E:4 @7 E96 EC25:E:@?2= 86?6C2= DE@C6 E@ E2A :?E@ ?@DE2=8:2 — z@69? A@:?ED E@ E96 C6DE2FC2?E 2?5 C6E2:= 492:? rC24<6C q2CC6= ~=5 r@F?ECJ $E@C6 2D @?6 6I2>A=6 — E96 @C:8:?2= >@56= 2?5 C62D@?D 7@C E96 D9@AD E@ 6I:DE =2C86=J 5:D2AA62C65]k^Am kAm“%96C6 2C6 76H — :7 2?J — ECF6 86?6C2= DE@C6D =67E :? E96 EC25:E:@?2= D6?D6[” D96 D2:5]k^Am The shop inside Cracker Barrel restaurants carries the aesthetic of a traditional general store. Mike Hensdill, USA Today Network kAmqFE D@>6 4@?E6>A@C2CJ C6E2:=6CD 92G6 D@>6 762EFC6D :? 4@>>@? H:E9 E96:C AC65646DD@CD]k^AmkAm“x’5 D2J E96 4FCC6?E G6CD:@? @7 2 86?6C2= DE@C6 H@F=5 36 D@>6E9:?8 =:<6 (2=>2CE[ H9:49 AC@G:56D D66>:?8=J 6G6CJE9:?8 2 9@FD69@=5 >:89E ?665[ 3FE H:E9 72C >@C6 49@:46[” (@=@D@? D2:5] r92:?D =:<6 (2=>2CE[ s@==2C v6?6C2= 2?5 u2>:=J s@==2C 2=D@ D92C6 2?@E96C D:>:=2C:EJ H:E9 86?6C2= DE@C6D @7 @=5i H9:=6 4@>>@? :? =2C86 4:E:6D[ E96J @7E6? 2=D@ 6DE23=:D9 E96>D6=G6D :? D>2==[ CFC2= 4@>>F?:E:6D 2?5 4@?E:?F6 E96 6>A92D:D @? 4@?G6?:6?46[ 2446DD:3:=:EJ 2?5 3C625E9 @7 8@@5D]k^Am kAmw@H6G6C[ “(2=>2CE 2?5 E96 =:<6 2C6 ?@E BF:E6 C6E2:= E@H? DBF2C6D 2D 86?6C2= DE@C6D FD65 E@ 36[” (@=@D@? D2:5] u@C E96 <:?5 @7 8@DD:A[ ?6HD\D92C:?8 2?5 6I492?86 @7 @A:?:@?D 2?5 :562D E92E @?46 E@@< A=246 :? 86?6C2= DE@C6D[ D96 D2:5[ “E96 4@F?ECJ ?@H =2C86=J =@@<D E@ E96 6IA2?D:G6 H@C=5 @7 D@4:2= >65:2]”k^Am Business America 250 merch is out in full force as brands 'cash in' on nostalgia Nicole Fallert USA Today Business US restaurant sales drop as Iran war pushes gasoline prices higher WAYLON CUNNINGHAM Reuters Business Trump DEI crackdown hit the boardroom. Now there are fewer women Jessica Guynn USA Today 0 Comments The business news you need Get the latest local business news delivered FREE to your inbox weekly. Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy. Related to this story Your store might be spying on you. Is it worth it for a discount? Is your store spying on you in order to change the price of what you might buy? 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Your store might be spying on you. Is it worth it for a discount? Is your store spying on you in order to change the price of what you might buy?
Ben & Jerry's reveals fate of Stephen Colbert ice cream Stephen Colbert's late-night reign may have come with an expiration date, but a Ben & Jerry's pint created in his image will live on forever.
