Posted on by ginger

The Best Place For Hoop Cheese Is On The Roof Of Your Car, And General Stores

Since 1884, the Simmons-Wright Company general store (called “Simmons and Wright”) has served the Kewanee, Mississippi area. This is actually the 1926 brick building that replaced the original which was destroyed in a fire. At one time, there was a blacksmith shop, a gristmill, gin, and sawmill in addition to selling…well, everything else. And apparently cotton served as currency at a certain point, too.
Simmons-Wright Company General Store, Toomsuba MS//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js

Simmons-Wright Company General Store, Toomsuba MS//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js

Simmons-Wright Company General Store, Toomsuba MS//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js

It seems as though just about everything’s for sale, from this old barber chair ($2200) to those old phones behind

And there’s someone in the world who I *know* would love to have this Holsum Bread cart

and this appears to be some new really old stock
Simmons-Wright Company General Store, Toomsuba MS//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js

Nilla wafers to hoop cheese, they’ve got it. In fact, I asked the gentleman running the store for a slice of cheese, and since it was warm outside, as he wrapped it in paper, he gave me advice to go put it on the roof of the car while I finished looking around so it would melt just a little and taste even better. Who can resist?

FDR looks over the whole place.

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Not all, but here are a few other general store pics we’ve taken:

Paul C. Marsh General Store in Locust Fork AL
Paul C. Marsh General Store, Locust Fork AL//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js

Burnt Corn General Store, Burnt Corn AL
Burnt Corn General Store, Burnt Corn AL//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js

Burnt Corn General Store, Burnt Corn AL//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js

Turner General Store, Reece City AL (though I think they sell their antique signs and such, I’m not sure how much of a general store it truly is — but they do sell fresh eggs via the fridge on the porch)
Turner General Store//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js

R.E. Ringer General Merchandise, South of Carrollton GA
R.E. Ringer Gen Merchandise, S of Carrollton GA//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js

‘The Lrd Provides’ Shinbone Valley General Store, Shinbone AL
Shinbone Valley General Store, Shinbone Alabama

J.F. Suttle Company, Suttle AL
J.F. Suttle Co. Inc, Suttle AL//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js

In 2006, I took a pic of the Sprott Store (in Sprott, AL) as compared to what it looked like (on the left) when Walker Evans photographed it in 1936
Sprott Store, Then & Now - Sprott AL//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js

Causeyville General Store, Causeyville AL
Causeyville General Store, Causeyville MS//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js

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