The Familiarity of a General Store
A week or so ago, I visited the BCMA and saw the Gordon Parks exhibit. I spent time looking at the photographs and kept returning to one set centered on a quaint general store.
There was something magnetic about it. The more I stared, the more I thought about all the general stores in Maine. I thought about how we learn about community through places that sell us coffee, eggs, and a sense of belonging.
I grew up near Bowdoin and remember my first general store, Hope General Store. I walked there barefoot through the woods on summer break with friends, feeling independent on our first parent-free adventure.
- The pizza was greasy
- The brownies were delicious
- The iced tea was unbeatable
- They carried Little Lad's popcorn, which I still buy today
Community isn’t necessarily about town meetings or Facebook groups but is derived from the places that sell us coffee, eggs and a sense of belonging.
Author's summary: General stores teach community through everyday interactions.