Did You Know?

Those of us of “a certain age” still remember the old grocery store (complete with a gas pump), post office, drug store, and the lean-to attached to the drug store that stood across from the current post office.  Driving by now, it is difficult to see that space and imagine the activity that occurred there.

The first structure, built shortly after the turn of the 20^th century, served as the post office.  A second modest building, the Montreat Grocery Company, was soon added. It was a ramshackle affair. 

In 1914 the Executive Committee of MRA authorized the President, Dr. Anderson, to purchase those two buildings, add to them, and ready them for occupancy. The plan was to have a grocery store, post office, drug store, hardware store, and meat market.  Reality scaled back the plan just a bit, but by the 1920s the grocery store (with the telephone exchange upstairs), post office, and drug store and the lean-to were fixtures. 

You could buy a lot in very small spaces. What you could not buy, however, starting in 1915, was cola products.  The fine for either selling or providing such products was “not less than $25 and not more than $50.”  Compare this fine with the speeding fine of $5 – the Managing Committee meant business about cola sales!  Not until May 1926 was this prohibition repealed. 

Thanks to the Presbyterian Heritage Center, especially Nancy Midgette, for this glimpse from the past. Stop by the PHC for even more Montreat history and so much more.