OK, here my remembrances....
I grew up in a small town in Sussex County New Jersey.
The town was known as Bevans, just down the road from the town of Layton.
My folks owned the general store in the "center" of town, 4 roads kinda came together/or passed by.
The store had a second floor which was never used, and the bats came out of the roof rafters during the summer.
The store had groceries, big old chest style soda machines,where you slid the door up and reached in to get what you wanted. Sodas were like 10 or 15 cents. Do you remember "Squirt"?
In the front center was the bakery rack ,with breads, donuts, and such.
Behind that were the 2 horizontal ice cream freezers, one had 5 gallon kits of various favors, from which hand-dipped cones were made. Single scoop- 15 cents, double-dip- 25 cents. The other freezer held 1/2 gallon containers, if you wanted "pre-packaged". Breyers & Sealtest were the makers of the ice cream.
Also had a great candy counter display, penny candies up on top, then the 5 cent candy bars, and if you were/felt rich, you could buy a Mounds or Almond Joy for 10 cents!
My mom was also the Postmistress for the town(07824,I think, when zip codes came to be)
The Post Office (4th class), was in the back of the store right next to the kerosene heater(only heat I can remember being in the building). People would come in for their mail, it would be pulled from their cubby hole and handed over. The Post Office facade can be seen at/in the Space Farms museum in Beemerville,NJ.
Does anyone remember the fall out shelter pamphlets the government handed out? Learn how to build that perfect shelter!
Two gas pumps were outside, front right side ,off the porch, regular and Hi-Test, TideWater gas....
Summers, and summer folks, sittin' on the front porch with neighbors and folks..
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Sorry I've run on, but
These were better simpler times, good memories..
Bill Pitman
62 years of living...