McMinn County Living Heritage Museum will open an exhibit Tuesday that bridges the generations between old-time general stores and modern superstores.
“Then and Now” showcases the convenience of these rural emporiums, which served as a place to meet, swap stories, talk politics and even play cards, according to exhibit organizers. While families canned most of their vegetables, butchered their own meat, milked their own cows and made their own bread, what they bought at the general store were mostly basic items that they could not make or gather themselves, like flour, sugar and salt.
“By necessity, general stores were like miniature superstores,” says the museum’s website. “Not only did they carry food staples, they also stocked most supplies needed on the farm.”
The exhibit runs through Aug. 20.
The museum is at 522 W. Madison Ave. in Athens, Tenn. For more information, call 423-745-0329 or visit www.livingheritagemuseum.com.