Page 33 - 2019 August The Journal of Antiques and Collectibles
P. 33
Kitchenalia.
It comes in many forms, and collectors often focus on just one category.
Salt-and-peppers, for instance. Or whistle mugs. Perhaps pie birds, egg timers, or vintage advertising
catch your fancy. There are even folks who collect original food packaging (pristine condition preferred,
food long-removed). But those looking to add an extra layer of authenticity to their kitchen collecting
often specialize in artifacts from actual “general” or “country” stores – a staple in any town of any size from
the mid-1800s well into the 1950s. Such objects contribute to a kitchen’s homey atmosphere and remain
readily available and affordable (most average well under $100). A carefully selected assortment of country
store-themed décor items can create a cozy, authentic shrine to the joys of days gone by, even in a modern
kitchen where the most frequently used appliance is the can opener.
Assemble the Ingredients
An assortment of Campbell’s coffee and tea tins,
plus the store’s coffee bean scoop. A wonderful place was the crossroads store,
As it stood in the days of old,
Where we traded our butter and new-laid eggs,
For the merchandise they sold.
If you’ve never dealt at the crossroads store,
You’ve missed a lot, I see,
And the folks who have, will bear me out,
I think we’ll all agree!
– The Crossroads Store, Harry Brokaw,
Hometown Ideals, June 1960
A pioneer predecessor of the “crossroads
store” was the “trading post,” which provided
early settlers with a bit of everything, (every- Where country store collectibles came from: the crossroads
thing useful, that is), from foodstuffs to farm general store, as illustrated in Hometown Ideals, June 1960.
implements, in exchange for items offered in
trade. By the mid-1800s, the retail version of this concept—a multitude of must-have products,
available in exchange for cold hard cash (or credit, until harvest time)—was the norm, at the country or
A 7-Up ad from 1950, presenting a view of the general store.
general store in the mid-twentieth century. For many years, it was the storekeeper who filled your order, often knowing in advance just what you
needed. Baking powder? Buggy whips? Shotguns? Sarsaparilla? The general store had it all, and the general
storekeepers (remember the Oleson’s Mercantile on Little House on the Prairie?), knew exactly where it all
was. (That personal touch lasted until 1916 when Clarence Saunders opened his first Piggly Wiggly and
introduced the self-serve concept.)
The general store was the hub of the community, filling not only
shopping needs but social needs as well. Store hours were flexible,
designed to suit busy schedules. Farm wives looked forward to socializing
with friends, on their weekly evenings in town. Storekeepers became inte-
gral parts of the community, often solidifying their indispensability by
taking on additional tasks, such as undertaker or postmaster, and making
their facilities available for any and all community-minded endeavors.
Mix Well
One such all-purpose gathering spot was The Shimer Store in
Chatfield, Minnesota. Ruth Shimer, daughter of the proprietor, worked
at the store at the turn of the twentieth century. A very young yours truly
had the privilege of interviewing a very elderly Miss Shimer for a
Memory Project compiled in 1976 as part of America’s Bicentennial Year
For a spic-and-span home (and store):
an assortment of cleaning products including observance. Blessed with a laser-sharp memory, and a wicked sense of Quaker Oats coin bank,
the optimistically-named Rub-No-More. humor, Miss Shimer offered up colorful tales of daily life in a small-town a premium for Campbell’s
country store: younger shoppers. 3” h.
August 2019 31
It comes in many forms, and collectors often focus on just one category.
Salt-and-peppers, for instance. Or whistle mugs. Perhaps pie birds, egg timers, or vintage advertising
catch your fancy. There are even folks who collect original food packaging (pristine condition preferred,
food long-removed). But those looking to add an extra layer of authenticity to their kitchen collecting
often specialize in artifacts from actual “general” or “country” stores – a staple in any town of any size from
the mid-1800s well into the 1950s. Such objects contribute to a kitchen’s homey atmosphere and remain
readily available and affordable (most average well under $100). A carefully selected assortment of country
store-themed décor items can create a cozy, authentic shrine to the joys of days gone by, even in a modern
kitchen where the most frequently used appliance is the can opener.
Assemble the Ingredients
An assortment of Campbell’s coffee and tea tins,
plus the store’s coffee bean scoop. A wonderful place was the crossroads store,
As it stood in the days of old,
Where we traded our butter and new-laid eggs,
For the merchandise they sold.
If you’ve never dealt at the crossroads store,
You’ve missed a lot, I see,
And the folks who have, will bear me out,
I think we’ll all agree!
– The Crossroads Store, Harry Brokaw,
Hometown Ideals, June 1960
A pioneer predecessor of the “crossroads
store” was the “trading post,” which provided
early settlers with a bit of everything, (every- Where country store collectibles came from: the crossroads
thing useful, that is), from foodstuffs to farm general store, as illustrated in Hometown Ideals, June 1960.
implements, in exchange for items offered in
trade. By the mid-1800s, the retail version of this concept—a multitude of must-have products,
available in exchange for cold hard cash (or credit, until harvest time)—was the norm, at the country or
A 7-Up ad from 1950, presenting a view of the general store.
general store in the mid-twentieth century. For many years, it was the storekeeper who filled your order, often knowing in advance just what you
needed. Baking powder? Buggy whips? Shotguns? Sarsaparilla? The general store had it all, and the general
storekeepers (remember the Oleson’s Mercantile on Little House on the Prairie?), knew exactly where it all
was. (That personal touch lasted until 1916 when Clarence Saunders opened his first Piggly Wiggly and
introduced the self-serve concept.)
The general store was the hub of the community, filling not only
shopping needs but social needs as well. Store hours were flexible,
designed to suit busy schedules. Farm wives looked forward to socializing
with friends, on their weekly evenings in town. Storekeepers became inte-
gral parts of the community, often solidifying their indispensability by
taking on additional tasks, such as undertaker or postmaster, and making
their facilities available for any and all community-minded endeavors.
Mix Well
One such all-purpose gathering spot was The Shimer Store in
Chatfield, Minnesota. Ruth Shimer, daughter of the proprietor, worked
at the store at the turn of the twentieth century. A very young yours truly
had the privilege of interviewing a very elderly Miss Shimer for a
Memory Project compiled in 1976 as part of America’s Bicentennial Year
For a spic-and-span home (and store):
an assortment of cleaning products including observance. Blessed with a laser-sharp memory, and a wicked sense of Quaker Oats coin bank,
the optimistically-named Rub-No-More. humor, Miss Shimer offered up colorful tales of daily life in a small-town a premium for Campbell’s
country store: younger shoppers. 3” h.
August 2019 31
