As a followup to my post the other day wherein Father Johnson mentioned the impact and importance of country store(s) in the St. Inigoes area, I learned that there were three stores in Beachville at the intersection of Grayson and Beachville Roads. (For those of you not familiar with this area, it is located just outside the southeast perimeter fence of Webster Field/NESEA/Whatever-it-is-called today.)
I consulted Massey’s “You Know You’re From St. Mary’s” FB page to find these comments about Beachville Stores:
Regarding the Weiners’ Store, here is a photo I took of the building currently owned by the Milburns at the corner of Grayson and Beachville.
In looking thru old issues of the St. Mary’s Beacon, I came across several ads from the Weiner Store. From the sounds of it, they really had it going on at their Beachville business:
The Taylor family that Bobby Cooper mentioned above would be my Brother-in-law Jerry Taylor’s parents. After I asked Jerry about this, he forwarded me this 2001 photo that he took of what remained then of his parents Store-Bar-Post Office located on Grayson Road.
Jerry’s Dad Emerson ran the store/bar while his Mom Grace was the Postmaster (1946 to 1959.) The following is a listing of Beachville Postmasters from Regina Hammet’s History of St. Mary’s. Note that both the Weiners and Grace are mentioned as having served as Postmasters.
Another interesting note in Mrs. Hammet’s book is a discussion of how Beachville got its name:
As for the third Beachville store, it was located across the road from the Weiners’ Store. I wasn’t able to find out anything about it other than it was owned and operated by Clyde Raley and his son John. However, I’ll keeping checking around to see what I come up with. I am heading your way, Dictator. (Note that I consult Dictator Cullison on such matters. At 96 and still on his game, Tater is our go-to-source for info on people and places of yore.)
My daughter Reagan called me yesterday to inform me that her boyfriend Ben has asked her to marry him and they are now officially engaged. Ben had asked me for her hand some time ago, so I sort of knew this was going to happen. Still, it was a nice surprise to hear this very good news. The following song/video came to my mind. Congrats Reagan and Ben!
