Brill's Store

 

The sources describe a fond memory the author has of the Black Church choir singing Christmas carols for his mother after his father died [1, 2]. This memory emphasizes the importance of the choir to the author's mother and suggests that the author likely shared in those positive feelings, given the emotional weight he assigns to this memory. The author remembers being captivated by the choir's performance, specifically mentioning the "beautiful soprano voice of Rosie Jones and the rich bass voice of Walter Tibbs" [2]. He describes this experience as "the most wonderful gift" he could remember receiving during that time [2], highlighting the significance of the choir's music in providing comfort and solace after his father's death.

The Irvine boys, who lived just above the Sharps on Route 219, were known for having unusual nicknames. While the author cannot recall their real names, their nicknames were Chick, Chub, Middy, Doodie, Hampy, W.D., Sis, Lee, and Doodie (who was crippled). [1]

The Brill Family's Use of the Store Building

The sources depict a close relationship between the Brill family and their store building. They did not just run the business; they lived in the space, utilizing it for both their personal and professional lives.

• Living Quarters: The Brill family resided in a spacious apartment on the second floor of the store building. The apartment contained six bedrooms, a living room, a dining room, a kitchen, a washroom, two bathrooms, a screened porch, and an open porch facing the Greenbrier River [1, 2]. This arrangement exemplifies the interconnected nature of work and home life for the family.
• Accessibility and Convenience: The close proximity of the family's living quarters to the store itself provided a high level of convenience and accessibility [1]. They could easily move between their home and work, quickly retrieving forgotten items or attending to store matters even outside of regular business hours.
• Children's Playground: The upstairs ware rooms of the store, in addition to their storage function, doubled as a play area for the Brill children, particularly during the summer months [3]. This further illustrates how the building catered to both the family's business and personal needs.
• Social Hub: The store, with its central location and warm atmosphere, acted as a social hub for the community [4]. The large Burnside potbellied stove in the main room served as a gathering point for locals to exchange news and listen to the radio, further solidifying the store's role as a central point in the community.

The sources provide a glimpse into the Brill family's life, showcasing how their business and personal lives were deeply intertwined within the walls of their store building. This close relationship highlights the significance of the store not just as a place of commerce, but as the heart of their family and a central point in the community.

Brill's Store: Layout and Features

The sources provide a detailed description of the layout and features of Brill's Store, painting a picture of a bustling rural general store integral to its community.

Location and Exterior:

• The store was located at the northwest corner of the bridge crossing the Greenbrier River, at the intersection of Routes 219 and 39 (then known as Seneca Trail and Eighth Street). [1, 2] This strategic location at a crossroads likely contributed to the store's success, attracting customers traveling from various directions.
• The building itself was a "large rambling structure of frame construction," described as having been expanded over time. [1]
• A tin roof covered the building, and a tin roof extending from the front of the store at the height of the first floor ceiling created a covered loading dock. [3] This suggests that the store received frequent deliveries, essential for maintaining its diverse inventory.

Interior Layout:

• The building consisted of two stories with a full basement. [3]

First Floor:

• The main store floor occupied the majority of the first floor, housing a variety of merchandise, including dry goods, clothing, hardware, and groceries. [3]
• Behind the main room were several rooms used for various purposes: [3]
• Warehouse rooms for storing goods.
• Business and hardware room.
• Feed room.
• Truck garage.
• Flour room.
• Cement storage room.
• Space for window glass and roofing materials.
• The grocery section was located at the front of the store. [4]
• A large Burnside potbellied stove sat in the center of the main room, serving as a gathering place for locals, especially during the evenings. [4]

Second Floor:

• The second floor housed more ware rooms, primarily used for storing seasonal items like winter lamp globes, mattresses, screen doors, rolls of screen wire, galvanized pipe, and work tools. [3]
• The ware rooms also served as a play area for children, particularly during the summer months when they weren't needed for storage. [5]

Basement:

• The basement served as the primary storage area for heavier items like fence wire, roofing, and other bulky merchandise. [5]
• Farmers also used the basement to store cow hides. [5]

Other Notable Features:

• The store had a "smooth tongue and grooved pine floor" on the first and second floors. [3, 5]
• A trap ladder provided access to the high shelves in the main store area. [2]
• Two gasoline tanks stood at the intersection of the two main roads in front of the store. [2]

Apartment Above the Store:

• Brill's family resided in an apartment above the main store floor. [6]
• The apartment consisted of: [6]
• Six bedrooms.
• Living room.
• Dining room.
• Kitchen.
• Washroom for clothing.
• Two bathrooms.
• A screened porch.
• An open porch facing the Greenbrier River.
• The screened porch often served as an extension of the dining room during the warm summer months. [6]
• The apartment had ten-foot ceilings. [7]

The layout and features of Brill's Store building highlight its multi-faceted role in the Marlinton community. It served as a commercial hub, a social gathering place, and a family home, reflecting the interconnected nature of life in a rural town.

Purpose of the Upstairs Ware Rooms

The sources describe the upstairs ware rooms at Brill's Store as versatile spaces used for a range of purposes, including storage, commerce, and even recreation.

Storage and Commerce:

• The second floor of Brill's Store housed "ware rooms for winter lamp globes, mattresses and springs, screen doors, rolls of screen wire, an assortment of galvanized pipe, and work tools such as shovels, picks and axes." [1] This indicates that the ware rooms served as storage for various household goods, hardware, and building materials, likely reflecting seasonal demand and the need to protect certain items from the elements.
• The ware rooms were also used to store hides, a significant aspect of the store's commercial activities. "The ware rooms also held other products such as chickens, turkeys, eggs, wool in season, weasels, and an occasional wildcat, which were trapped by local residents." [2] The storage of hides alongside other goods suggests that the ware rooms served as a central hub for managing and storing items acquired through various means, including trade and local sourcing, before being sold or shipped to other buyers.

Recreation and Play:

• The spacious ware rooms also served as a play area for children, highlighting the multi-functional nature of these spaces. "In the summer months we would roller skate on the smooth tongue and grooved pine floors...Since the ware rooms were not heated this play was restricted to the warmer months." [2] This suggests that the ware rooms, while primarily used for storage and commerce, provided a degree of flexibility, transforming into recreational spaces when not needed for other purposes.

The sources highlight the adaptability of the upstairs ware rooms at Brill's Store, showcasing how they were utilized for various functions essential to the store's operation and the lives of those connected to it.

Based on the provided text excerpts from "Brill's Store.pdf", the only business mentioned as being located next to Brill's Store was a small radio repair shop. [1] This shop was situated next to the bridge at the corner of the store. [1]

New Saved Note

Sourcing Meat Products at Brill's Store

The sources provide some information about the meat products sold at Brill's Store, but they do not specifically state where the store sourced all of its meats. The information available suggests that the store likely utilized a combination of local sourcing and wholesale purchases to meet customer demand.

Local Sourcing

• The sources mention local farmers bringing various products to the store, indicating an established network of local suppliers. While this primarily focuses on items like berries and wool, it is plausible that some farmers may have also provided meat products.
• The text explicitly states that Brill's uncle, Lloyd Davis, would butcher hogs, suggesting a degree of direct involvement in meat processing. The tenderloins, feet, and heads were sold to customers, while the lard was rendered and sold separately. This practice implies that at least some meat products were sourced and prepared directly by the store or individuals associated with the store.

Wholesale Purchases

• While local sourcing likely played a role, it's unlikely to have been the sole source of meat for the store. Brill's Store, as a general store, aimed to provide a range of products to the community, which necessitates a consistent and reliable supply chain.
• The sources mention that the store received shipments of goods, including "meats, groceries, shoes, and heavy items" from traveling salesmen and wholesalers. These companies, such as Watts Ritter, Bluefield Hardware, and Valley Supply, likely provided a significant portion of the store's inventory, including meat products not sourced locally.

Meat Products Mentioned

The specific meat products mentioned in the source material include:

• Slab cured bacon
• Salt pork
• Bologna
• Salt fish (likely preserved cod)

These items represent a mix of cured and preserved meats, reflecting the food preservation practices common during that time period. The lack of refrigeration would have necessitated reliance on salting, smoking, or other preservation methods to extend the shelf life of meat products.

New Saved Note

The store's radio repairman was Roy Humphreys, but the store owner's father called him "Skyjacks." [1] The author of the source material was thrilled by Skyjacks' knowledge of electricity and radio. [1]

New Saved Note

The sources provide two names for the store: "Brill's Store" and the "Peoples Store and Supply."

• The name "Brill's Store" is used consistently throughout the text, indicating it was the common name used by the author and likely many in the community. This naming convention suggests a simple, straightforward approach, directly linking the store to the Brill family who owned and operated it. [1, 2]
• The formal name "Peoples Store and Supply Company" is mentioned on the cover of the source document, indicating it was the official registered name of the business. [2] However, the author primarily uses the less formal "Brill's Store" throughout his narrative. This suggests that the more informal name was more prevalent in everyday conversation and likely held a stronger sense of familiarity and local identity. [1]

While the sources do not explicitly explain why the store was also called the "Peoples Store and Supply Company", the name itself suggests an intention to appeal to a broad customer base, emphasizing the store's role as a supplier of essential goods for the community.

Brill's Store Location

Brill's Store was located at the northwest corner of the bridge crossing the Greenbrier River, situated at the junction of Routes 219 and 39 [1]. In the time period described by the source, this intersection was called Seneca Trail and Eighth Street [1]. The store's strategic location at this crossroads likely contributed to its success, as it was easily accessible to people traveling from different directions.

New Saved Note

While the sources mention that Brill's store had a radio repair shop, they do not state when the store began offering radios to customers. [1, 2] The sources do state that Brill's store established a trade in radios before rural electrification. [2] The store owner's father believed that "radio was going to become popular" and decided to sell them. [1, 2] However, because this was before widespread electricity, he also traveled around the county with battery-powered radios to demonstrate them to potential customers. [2]

Merchandise at Brill's Store

The sources describe a wide range of merchandise sold at Brill's Store, highlighting its function as a general store catering to the diverse needs of the Marlinton community.

Dry Goods and Clothing

• The store stocked a wide variety of men's and women's clothing, including work pants, denim shirts, dress shirts, overalls, and dresses. Customers could find items in various sizes and styles, reflecting the store's effort to cater to different needs and preferences. [1, 2]
• Bolts of cloth were available for those who preferred to make their own garments. The store also carried a selection of sewing supplies, including thread, needles, and patterns, catering to the home seamstress. [1]
• During the Depression, the store offered cloth bags, which were particularly popular with farm ladies. These bags were likely used for carrying groceries or other goods. [2]
• Shoes were also part of the store's inventory, with the Red Goose Shoes brand being a popular choice for both men and women. [1]

Food and Grocery Items

• The store stocked a variety of staple foods, including dried beans, rice, and country butter. These items were often sold in bulk, with dried beans, for instance, coming in 100-pound sacks. [3]
• Fresh produce was limited to what was in season locally. The text mentions apples, bananas, peaches, apricots, and prunes as examples of the fruits available. [4]
• Local farmers often brought berries, such as raspberries, blackberries, huckleberries, plums, and cherries, to the store to trade for merchandise. [4]
• The store also carried canned goods, including Borden's canned milk and various brands of soups. [3]
• Baking powder, a staple ingredient in many households, was also available. [3]

Hardware and Building Materials

• Reflecting the needs of a rural community, Brill's Store sold a variety of hardware and building materials, including: [5, 6]
• paint
• window glass
• roofing materials such as galvanized tin and roll types
• kerosene and lamp globes
• mattresses and springs
• screen doors
• rolls of screen wire
• an assortment of galvanized pipe
• work tools such as shovels, picks, and axes

Other Notable Merchandise

• Brill's Store sold live chickens. Customers could buy chickens for their own use or have them dressed and delivered. [7]
• The store carried a variety of tobacco products, including several brands of chewing tobacco and cigarettes. [8]
• Oilcloth was a staple item, primarily used as a covering for kitchen tables. [7]
• The store also sold a range of patent medicines, reflecting the limited availability of healthcare services in the area during that time. [9]

Brill's Store's diverse inventory reflects its crucial role in meeting the everyday needs of the Marlinton community. The store stocked a wide range of products, from essential foodstuffs to building materials and even live animals, making it a one-stop shop for local residents.

Coupons at Brill's Store in the 1930s

Brill's Store utilized a coupon redemption system in the 1930s for certain products sold in the grocery section. Specifically, baking powder and Borden's canned milk had coupons attached to their packaging [1]. Customers could collect these coupons and redeem them for a variety of household items, such as:

• towels
• washcloths
• dishes
• pans

The process involved customers saving coupons over a period of time and then bringing them to the store to exchange for goods [1]. This required store employees to count and label the different types of coupons and subsequently mail them to the respective companies for processing [1].

While the store received a small fee for handling these coupon transactions, it was regarded as more of an advertising scheme to promote product sales rather than a significant source of profit [1].

The sources describe the store's candy counter but do not mention which candy was the most popular. The text states that the candy counter "contained mostly stick candy in a variety of flavors and also chocolate drops which were cone shaped" and that it was located next to a soda cooler. [1] There was also a scale to weigh candy purchases sold by the pound. [1]

New Saved Note

The store owner's family lived in an apartment situated above the main store floor. [1] The apartment was quite spacious, containing:

• six bedrooms
• a living room
• a parlor or music room
• a dining room
• a kitchen
• a washroom for clothing
• two bathrooms
• a screened porch
• an open porch facing the Greenbrier River [1]

The screened porch served as a dining room during the warm summer months. [1] There were two entrances to the apartment: one from the outside and one from inside the store. [1]

Brill's Store: Adapting to Change

The Brill family store, a fixture in Marlinton for over sixty years, exhibited a remarkable ability to adapt and evolve in response to changing times. This dynamism ensured its relevance and success for several decades.

• Initially, the store operated as a traditional general store, catering to the diverse needs of the local community [1, 2]. It sold a wide variety of goods, including dry groceries, hardware, clothing, and even live chickens [3, 4]. This broad inventory reflected the limited availability of specialized stores in Marlinton during the early 20th century.
• The Brill family demonstrated business acumen by expanding their operations to include a flour mill in 1930 [2]. This addition capitalized on the local demand for flour, as evidenced by customers frequently trading furs for merchandise [5].
• Recognizing the growing popularity of radio, Brill's store established a radio repair shop [6]. This forward-thinking decision proved successful, as radio sales became increasingly common in the area [7].
• As automobiles gained prominence, the store adapted by incorporating a gas station with hand-operated pumps [6]. This service catered to the increasing number of car owners in Marlinton, further demonstrating the store's responsiveness to the community's evolving needs.
• Brill's Store embraced new product lines as they emerged. For instance, they introduced synthetic materials like nylon when they became available, reflecting a shift in consumer preferences and manufacturing trends [8]. They also began selling personal care items like deodorant, responding to evolving notions of hygiene and social norms [8].
• Despite these adaptations, the rise of specialized stores, particularly after World War II, gradually diminished the demand for traditional general stores [9]. Brill's Store faced competition from larger retailers offering a wider selection and competitive prices [9].
• Although the Brill family store closed in 1985, its legacy endured as a symbol of a bygone era in Marlinton [9]. The store's ability to change with the times, embracing new technologies, products, and services, cemented its position as a vital hub in the community for over six decades.

The Brill family's store, also known as the Peoples Store and Supply, served as a central hub in the town of Marlinton and significantly influenced the lives of its residents.

Community Impact

• The store functioned as a social gathering spot where locals would convene, particularly in the evenings, to listen to the radio and discuss current events. [1]
• The Brill family's store employed numerous local residents, providing them with income and contributing to the economic well-being of the community. [2-4]
• The store offered credit to customers, reflecting a strong sense of trust and community spirit, especially during challenging economic times like the Great Depression. [5, 6]
• The store's presence in Marlinton likely attracted people from surrounding areas on shopping days, further boosting the town's economy. [7]

Social Center

• The store wasn't just a place of commerce but a social hub where people congregated. [8]
• People would gather around the potbellied stove, listen to radio programs like the Lowell Thomas news, Amos and Andy, and Fibber McGee and Molly, and engage in conversations. [1] This suggests that the store served as a vital source of information and entertainment in an era before television.
• The store's central location at the intersection of two main roads further solidified its role as a community gathering place. [9]

Adaptability and Resilience

• The Brill family store demonstrated remarkable adaptability by adjusting its inventory and services to meet the evolving needs of the Marlinton community.
• Initially a general store selling a wide range of goods such as dry groceries, hardware, clothing, and even live chickens, the store later incorporated a flour mill, a radio repair shop, and even a gas station. [7, 9-11]
• This adaptability ensured the store's continued relevance and success for several decades, highlighting its integral role in the town's commercial landscape. [4]

Legacy

• Despite facing numerous challenges, including economic downturns, fires, and changing consumer habits, the Brill family store endured for over six decades. [4, 8, 12]
• This longevity is a testament to the family's resilience and their commitment to serving the Marlinton community. [2]
• Even after the store closed in 1985, its memory continued to hold a special place in the hearts of many Marlinton residents, signifying a bygone era and the enduring impact of the Brill family on the town. [4]