Thanks to Cathee Boswell for the identification. Danise Johnson Watson writes: I grew up right down from Conine’s (on Hwy 84), and can’t tell you how much the memories of that store and the family mean to me! One precious memory was when my daddy would take me down there and sit me up on the old drink case. I’d enjoy my ice cold coke while listening to the men talk! When I was older, I could ride my bike down to pick up whatever my mama needed. In those days Mrs. Ruth granted all the local folks a charge account. Ah, all the goodies I wanted with just a stroke of her pencil! It breaks my heart to see the store as it (barely) stands today. But all I have to do is close my eyes and once again I’m perched on that old drink box, surrounded by people so precious to me!!
In 2019, Tess Howell shared this humorous postcard (likely from the 1960s-1970s), writing: After my grandmother passed in June, I found this postcard in her belongings. I thought you may get a kick out of it. As a child, I visited Mrs. Ruth many times for peanuts and a bottled coke! My grandmother also worked for Mrs. Ruth here and there at some point in time; in true “Southernness” Mrs. Ruth’s daughter was my high school teacher and her other daughter’s husband is our local pastor.
Mrs. Conine was the sweetest lady, always talking and smiling.. I would go it to her store daily in the 80s. My favorite thing was to get the heel of a loaf of baloney and a hunk of cheese, Mr. Lady would air up the tire of my bicycle and I’d ride off to the local swamp or Rail road tracks and think of a way to buy one of those” old timers” in her display box. Sometimes momma would sent me there to buy bread and drinks out of the box and I’d hang on to the change to save enough money to buy some candy. Now I ride by there and it feels like it’s someone else’s life that I remember. So much has changed. So many people and the roads move so fast……
I grew up going to this store. They sold a little of everything. Clothes, fresh meat, gas, oil, food, etc. bought my first girl products there. Was so embrassed. Ms Ruth helped me brown bag it. Ms all the good all days.
Growing up here in my small town family-owned grocery store certainly holds great memories as well as some awesome lessons learned about people, life, business, and most importantly about how to treat people in life as you’re doing business with them.
Great memories of me, my cousins, my Aunt Trelle, Donna, Sylvia and Aunt Ruth (as I called her) in and around Conine’s growing up. ❤️
I grew up right down from Conine’s (on Hwy 84), and can’t tell you how much the memories of that store and the family mean to me! One precious memory was when my daddy would take me down there and sit me up on the old drink case. I’d enjoy my ice cold coke while listening to the men talk!
When I was older, I could ride my bike down to pick up whatever my mama needed. In those days Mrs. Ruth granted all the local folks a charge account. Ahhh, all the goodies I wanted with just a stroke of her pencil!
It breaks my heart to see the store as it (barely) stands today.
But all I have to do is close my eyes and once again I’m perched on that old drink box, surrounded by people so precious to me!!
That juke joint was willie c wades place. It was called Wades. My brother and I would sneak in there when our parents were gone.
My father, J.W. McGill, sold this store cigarettes back in the late 50’s and 60’s….I also remember the “Red Rooster Resturant” that sat caty-cornered to Conine’s…directly across from Conine’s on another corner was a juke joint..We had a cigarette machine,2 pin ball machines in it, along with a juke box..We serviced them every week for several years…What memories!
I grew up in Stockton I walked to that store so many times. Just drove past there.Times have changed.
I grew up in Stockton and I remember this store when it was open.
This was known to me as Conine”s store. Jim Conine lives in Brunswick GA where I live now. His Mom and Dad owned it.
Thanks, Cathee! I’ll change the name to reflect your information…