St. James General Store is a historic landmark in Suffolk County, New York. But to my husband and I, it was the place to go to buy the best 'molasses paddles' around. We would drive the fifteen minutes often to buy a bag full of them hoping they would last more than a few days, though they rarely did. That was many years ago, and I haven't been back to the store since moving to Florida twenty-five years ago, but I still remember the many trips to the quaint little store that was filled with so much history. This store is the oldest store in the United States that has been operating since it opened in 1857. The store ledger show that many famous people visited back in the day, such as Lionel Barrymore, Ethel and John Barrymore, Lillian Russel, and Irving Berlin to name a few. The above picture is my husband way back in 1976 outside of the general store. The picture below is a shot of the inside back in 1976.
We would often go to the store and just hang out on the front porch and take pictures. In the picture below is my sister (standing) and my two sister-in-laws (sitting). My sister was still in her hippie faze.
I don't know why this picture posted so tiny, but this is my daughter and her cousin outside of the general store back around 1981.
If you want to know more about the store and its history click on the title of this blog.
I'm not sure what molasses paddles are - some kind of candy? The store looks like a great place to visit.
ReplyDeleteMolasses paddles are molasses lollipops. My sister-in-law is holding one in her hand in the third picture. Everyone loved them.
ReplyDeleteChriss looks like he had a little more than a lollipop to put a smile on his face... but, sounds like a fun place to look around!!
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