I can't pass one of these without stopping. Once the rule among groceries, they are now rare. Most that survive sit empty or have been converted to tourist stops. This was neither, but a working country store.
The gas pumps are old, but not nearly so old as the store itself. They are functional and offer regular unleaded (87 octane) and premium (93 octane) grades.
One of the rusted signs advertises Royal Crown Cola, which has long since been modernized to RC. The brick-look asphalt siding was popular before World War II and is still fairly common on old barns and sheds, usually more broken and torn than it is here. It remains on many old houses, too, hidden beneath more modern low-maintenance sidings.
The faded Coca Cola sign is vintage.
The kerosene tank and air compressor don't appear to get much use. The kerosene tank was largely put out of business when Rural Electrification made its way through Casey County, which was probably in the early 1950s. Perhaps that's when the air compressor was installed.
The double doors on the ell suggest the store keeper once lived in the same building. Neither looks like it's had much use of late.
The Davenport Grocery serves the South Fork community of Casey County, Kentucky. Casey County was formed in 1806 and named for Col. William Casey, a great-grandfather of Samuel L. Clements, a.k.a. Mark Twain, adding
another regional tie.
All the old shops round here are shutting up shop too. We still have hardware stores in the villages, though. These places used to be the hub of a community, you'd stand and gossip and get all the latest news.
ReplyDeleteWhere else will a blogger like me get her information?
I hate to lose them, too, Friko. These rural gathering places were the glue that held communities together. We still have the Rugby Commissary, which is now a museum store, but the museum administration seems to be trying to regulate its function as community gathering place.
ReplyDeleteThere are very few of these left around here anymore. There is only 1 left that I know of and it's way North of here. I, also, enjoy going into one of these old stores. Sometimes, you can find something from a long time ago. It's a shame that these Country Stores have gone to History. They can't compete with the big store's of today.
ReplyDeleteTried to "Follow" your Blog, but could not find a place to do so. Maybe it just does not show up on your page. A interesting Post. I remember stores like this.
Les
Sorry you couldn't find the "Follow" button, Les. Sometimes it's there and sometimes it's not. Gremlins, I suppose. Hope you'll come back, and one of these times it will surely be there. Jim
ReplyDeleteWe still have a few of these around in my neck of the woods. Classic!
ReplyDeleteI love happening upon one of these old timey stores. They're so hard to find these days. We have an old hardware store nearby that sells a little bit of everything and I love to just walk around looking at what's in there.
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