Growing up in the 1970's and 80's, outside of Chicago, I have vivid memories of our local, "country stores."
- I remember the butcher shop, where I'd be handed a pretzel rod, if I wanted it or not.
- I remember the store in downtown Naperville, IL where we'd shop for blue jeans - that's all they carried, stacked ceiling high - and just down the street, the shoe store for my new Buster Browns each school year.
- I remember going into the hobby shop on Main Street in Lisle IL and the flower shop just a few doors down.
- I remember the bakery and Reidy's Hardware store. The Coffee Cup was an all time favorite and the Bowling Alley a popular hang out.
Most of all, I remember the Book Nook. I can still see the shop, nestled near the bank and flower shop in Lisle, IL. A red awning proudly announced the name of the store, and the door was inset, shielding you from rain and snow.
Walk in the door, to your left, on an old wooden bench you'd find every newspaper you could imagine - The Chicago Tribune, The New York Times, The Washington Post. On your right, they carried rows and rows of magazines; beyond the magazines, racks of greeting cards, penny candy, cigarettes, cigars, ice cream and lottery tickets. The real wood floors always looked old, a strange observation I remember as a kid.
I remember the smell. The sweet smell of tobacco and the pungent odor of ink.
The Book Nook is still in Lisle, IL - in this same spot, and with the same wooden floors, I've been told.
I don't remember a Wal-Mart until the mid to late 1980's. I can vaguely picture the store in my mind; no particular smells come to mind, and I can't tell you were they kept the ice cream.
One day, I hope to recreate the memories of the Book Nook - that is my dream - to own my own book store.
Do you have country store memories? If so, feel free to post a link to your story in the comments below - I'd love to read about the memories that were made.
