Tag Archives: Georgia General Stores

W. L. Morris General Store, Circa 1896, Collins

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The name of a recent occupant of this building suggests that it is best remembered as a mercantile or general store. The Mercantile Inn was located here during the 2010s, if my notes are correct. As was often the case with buildings like this, the owners may have lived upstairs, or it could have been a general commercial block with a fraternal lodge upstairs. It is the most architecturally significant commercial structure remaining in Collins, in my opinion.

Frank Morris writes: “No idea of who built it or exactly when, but it was owned/operated in the late 1800’s to 1900’s (?) as a General Store by my Grandfather W.L. Morris who lived at 302 Morris St NW in Collins until his death. He and his wife Lila are buried in the Baptist Church cemetery in Collins. I still have some of the ledgers from transactions made at the store.“

Storefront, Stevens Pottery

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I am identifying this building, near Stevens Pottery, as a storefront, but that said, it could have been a restaurant, or even a night spot. The large window near the front door makes me think it had some sort of commercial purpose.

General Store, Culverton

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This false front store building was likely a general store. Tax records date it to 1930, which seems a bit early, but the cinderblock may have been a later addition.

Springfield-Log Cabin Cooperative Store, 1930, Hancock County

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A small cooperative store, built from local stone, was constructed in the Springfield-Log Cabin community in 1930. It was the first store in this area, other than a commissary on the Zack Hubert farm, and a popular gathering place. The covered pavilion out front encouraged outdoor visits .

A cafeteria used by students of the nearby school was located adjacent to the store. It was also built of local stone but has been gone for many years.

Camilla-Zack Community Center District, National Register of Historic Places

Historic Storefronts, Jeffersonville

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These storefronts were already in ruins when I photographed them in 2013. One of the last businesses located here was Robinson’s Fried Chicken, as the sign indicated. W. F. Maxwell recently wrote that at this location: “…was once a Sinclair gas station, a bus stop for Greyhound, a small restaurant and purveyor of ice cream, candies, etc. It was owned by my maternal Grandaddy, J. L. Griffin whose wife, Mattie, was the restaurateur...” He went on to say that they were torn down some time after 2016.

Note: This replaces and updates a post originally published on 16 August 2013.

General Store, Telfair County

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I’ve had this photograph for a few years and don’t recall exactly where in Telfair County it was made. This excellent vernacular building is sided with what we used to call red tile, or brick tile, which was sometimes used for tobacco barns. The doors have been replaced, but everything else looks original. The two windows on the front are an indication it was a store or commissary, perhaps a farm office. I tend to think it was a store. If anyone recognizes it, please get in touch.

Smoke House Grill, Pineview

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Fewer than 500 people live in the little town of Pineview, on the Wilcox-Pulaski County line, so there aren’t many places to eat. When I made this photograph a few years ago, the trailer beside this store was the only place selling food, and was going by the name “Smoke House Grill”. The store was the M & M Convenient Store, and appears to have been a service station and garage before that. I think they built a Dollar General across the road after they tore down the most important landmark building in town, the old Clements Drugstore.

Irwinville Farms Cooperative Association Store, 1938

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This storefront has been associated with Irwinville Peanut & Grain for many years, but it was built in 1938 as the retail store for the Irwinville Cooperative Association, an offshoot of the Irwinville Farms Project. It has been modified over time.

In her book Irwinville Farms Project: The Making of a Community (Yawn’s Publishing, Canton, Georgia, 2012), Joy Wilson McDaniel notes that the store cost $8,747 to build, and along with the Cooperative Office, “just about completed the construction work on the town of Irwinville...” [in regards to the Irwinville Farms Project].

Cataula, Georgia

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Cataula is one of the oldest settlements of present-day Harris County. It has had a post office since 1836. It experienced a good bit of growth when Georgia’s first narrow gauge railroad, the North & South Railroad, came through the area in 1870, but that endeavor was short-lived. There are varying versions of the origin of the name. One source (Kenneth Krakow) says it’s a variation of the Muscogee word kitali, meaning withered mulberry. An earlier variation of the origin is found on a Georgia Historical Society marker placed in 1958 that ascribed it to the Creek word for “Big Rock”. I’ll just leave it at that, as I’m not an authority on either.

This building, which was built in 1908, was originally known as the J. W. Thompson & Son General Mercantile Store. Many other businesses have been located here over time, and it’s still in use today, albeit not as a general store. New road work and rapid urban growth in the area are having a serious impact on this quiet little community. This structure and the Methodist Church are among the most noticeable landmarks in the area and hopefully will be around for years to come, but it appears other nearby structures will be lost to the current road-widening.

Scott 5 and 10 Store, Dawson

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This storefront is located on Main Street. Scott was a chain of 5 and 10 (five and dime) department stores located from coast to coast, though I haven’t been able to find much information about the company online, other than a few specific locations that were open from the 1930s until the early 1980s. Many used Art Deco design in their architecture. Hopefully, the entry and transom signs will be preserved.