Corner Store Nostalgia

It’s a remnant of bygone times though it’s enjoying its fourteenth year at a downtown intersection in Cape Girardeau - The Corner Store - a mini grocery/deli/chocolate shop. The portable sign at the street indicated chicken and dumplings or all-beef hot dogs were the to-go lunch offerings of the day. You can’t buy a week’s worth of pantry items there, but it provides an opportunity to get needed milk, bread, snacks and beverages, and for downtown workers, a quick break from the office chair and a short walk as well.

We bought chocolates, homemade using Grandma’s recipes. As we narrowed our choices from the fresh, neatly packaged varieties, I realized if I lived or worked nearby, I would be tempted to sample the Kentucky bourbon balls, the peppermint patties or the chocolate turtles too often. I would have to make grand circles out of a short walk to compensate! The owner/operator welcomed us heartily and shared stories about the store. The Corner Store is now #2 on my list of must-visits when I travel to Cape. Barnes & Noble is #1.

Stepping off the sidewalk into the corner enterprise was like stepping into my dad’s store on the corner of Bent & Humphrey in St. Louis, a residential neighborhood just five blocks from Arsenal and Tower Grove Park. Hot foods were not available, but he did offer sandwiches made on the spot. FYI - not my favorite task when I worked a shift. Adults picking sandwich meats/cheeses/condiments could be as wishy-washy in choices as the kids were with penny candy options. I might have spent a lot of time hunkering down to peer through the shelves trying to tell which tray the little fingers were pointing to, but I didn’t have to clean a meat slicer when the sale was completed.

Dad was in his element there. He knew the regulars by name, loved the exchange of stories and laughter, and aimed to offer real convenience to his customers. Neighborhood enterprises were not negatively impacted by other nearby corner stores. Each provided its own special services. When we left the city, I bet Dad was truly missed, for his friendship and his business.

I prefer shopping in places they know my name.