Country stores, the social center of  rural communities, are being replaced by suburban shopping centers. If they could only talk, they could tell a million stories that were told on their porches.     (B190D)

Larger communities had stores that supplied every need, including everything from feed and seed, to hardware, staple foods and dress material. They were the equivalent of today’s shopping marts.     (B693P)

False fronts were a mark of distinction on stores. It usually denoted a place of commerce or business rather than a dwelling space.  (B889C)

Small shops like this one in Mannington would have one use rather than many. It might be a barber shop, cobbler’s shop, a tailor or a butcher shop. Such small businesses today are made to compete with corporately owned shopping marts, thus making them endangered.  (B890B)