Reed General Store (ca. 1873)
Reed General Store (ca. 1873)
The Reed General Store was built in Woodside, Delaware
(ca. 1873) by John and Jane Reed. The store represents the type and style of country stores found throughout the Peninsula during the late 19th century. At or about 1900, the Reed's turned over operation of the store to their daughter Mary Jane and son-in-1aw Phillip Jenkins.
When Mary Jane and Phillip retired, their son Glancy Jenkins and his wife Elsie became the store's owners. The store was closed upon Elsie Jenkins' death in March 1988. With its 115 years of service to the residents of Woodside, Delaware, Reed – Jenkins General Store is believed to have been the longest continually operating country store in the state.
Reed - Jenkins General Store
is a one and a half story structure that has undergone little change over the past twelve decades. When visitors entered the store, what they encountered is similar to what you see in the store today: dim lighting, dark wooden counters, and a glass display cases. The store shelves are lined with a variety of household goods such as dishes, pots and irons. Foodstuffs such as canned fruit and sardine tins are spread among shelves and display cases containing candies, tobacco, sewing notions, threads, medicines and spices evoking memories
of a simpler place and time.
Chairs are situated near the wood stove complete with a checkerboard with corncob “checkers” stands waiting for the next round of play. These items also serve as a reminder to visitors of the social importance the country store played. Learn more about country stores
in America.
The decline of the country or "general" store in the early 1900's, was directly attributed to the widespread availability of lesser expensive goods marketed to people in rural areas via the Sears & Roebuck catalog.