All of us here at the Bay City General Store have been enjoying an amazingly wonderful August. We have been having "San Diego" weather -- mid 80's during the day, 60's at night and low humidity. Normally we have weather you can wear with cautions of heat indexes of 110. Normally in August it is really hard to think about the crisp cool air of fall and all the wonderful warm colors that accompany the season. But this year is different -- when this guy showed up last week we started thinking in bronzes, golds, hunter greens, oranges and deep reds. Our new fall merchandise is cropping up all the store.

Our lodgers have been enjoying starry nights on the deck overlooking the Ohio River. For the early risers, pastel sunrises over the river have been breath-taking. Maybe you need a quiet weekend retreat before the hustle and bustle of the holiday season -- I know... it's August...but just a few minutes ago it seemed like it was February and we were having trouble thinking about spring. Check out our website at www.baycitystoreandlodgingohioriver.com or give us a call at 618/683-4305. Hope to see you soon!

August???

Then

This was the Bay City General Store "back in the olden days" as I used to say as a kid. Now it seems strange when I hear kids today say that. You should see them take a look at a rotary dial telephone........they go huh? How does that work? I love it when they buy a "little bottle Coke" from the old 7-Up cooler. In order to keep with nostalgia, Coca-Cola didn't make the bottle caps twist off. They have to be opened with a bottle opener -- kids today do not know what that is and they look at me like I've fallen from another planet. Then you start talking about taking pop bottles back to the store to get money for the picture show and they just shake their heads and mutter something about "back in the olden days" and walk out texting on their blackberries. And us folks from the olden days wonder why blackberries aren't just for cobblers anymore?
We've tried to keep many facets of the old Bay City General Store alive -- same old gravity flow gas pump, same old worn oak counters, same old yardstick used to measure many yards of calico, same pot belly stove that warmed many a fingers and toes back in the olden days, the old grocery store shelves have stood the test of time and many of the friends and neighbors who shopped at the store back in the olden days have also stood the test of time and still shop in the Bay City General Store of now.

Now

Although we don't carry the same merchandise as Mr. and Mrs. Weeks, we still offer the same personalized service, a friendly smile, a free cup of coffee and we'll even help you carry your packages out to the car. Stop by and see us -- we're getting our fall goodies out and marking down the summer and garden merchandise.

You Shoulda Been Here...

and you would have seen this view from your balcony. For some reason this photo makes me think of Scotland (never been to Scotland so don't have a clue why I think that) or if I close my eyes I can hear Heathcliff looking for Kathy in the moors. But no, this is western Kentucky right across the Ohio River from the Bay City General Store and Hotel. And all I hear when I close my eyes is birds singing and an occasional fish jumping. No traffic, no horns, no sirens, no lawn mowers...........just total peace and quiet.

Can't you picture yourselves here with your hot cup of coffee, sitting in the swing on the balcony, nowhere to rush off to, a good book to read and the sounds of birds singing in the background? Looking across the river to the moors of Kentucky...........well that's a stretch, but not this morning. Give us a call at 618/683-4305 to reserve your slice of peace and quiet or check us out at www.baycitystoreandlodgingohioriver.com I know, it's a long name but it doesn't leave much doubt about what we are.

Morning Mist

A Shopping Experience

Retail experts tell us that shoppers are looking for " an experience" when they venture out today, filling their cars with $4.00 a gallon gas. I don't need an expert to tell me that -- common sense tells me that and long before gas was $4.00 a gallon. The Bay City General Store is a shopping experience -- heck it can just be a browsing experience -- we don't charge for browsing but buying is strongly encouraged. Our goal is to make you feel welcome, make you feel like you are at home (although don't try putting your feet on our antique furniture, unless of course you intend to buy it). And every day is different at the Bay City General Store but always friendly, always old-fashioned and always just plain old good fun. Like the day the parking lot filled up with these old cars............bound to be a story or two shared over a cold soda or hot cup of coffee in that bunch. Stop by the next time you're pumping $4.00 a gallon gas in your "jalopy" and share your story. We promise you a shopping experience.

Me and My RC

A favorite Bay City General Store experience is to grab an icy cold RC from the old 7-Up cooler in the back, pair that up with the old southern favorite Moon Pie and now you're talking. Grab one of the 1920's ledger books off the antique thread cabinet and sit down for a stroll down memory lane. You will hear comments like "Look, here's Granny Beulah Fern's account and she bought 3 yards of calico for 25 cents." Or "that's my Papa Willie Joe and I bet that candy he bought was for my mom." And from there the memories of the good old days start to flow and whether or not your family shopped at the Bay City General Store you probably have a happy memory of some old store and that icy cold soda that your Granny or Papa bought for you.

By the way I shouldn't even tell you this because it's probably illegal -- but if you pop that Moon Pie in the microwave for just a few seconds and let that chocolatey, marshmallowy (is that even a word) gooieness get all melty -- around here we call it Heaven on a Plate. Stop in -- we'll fix one for you. You don't get that at the big box stores!

The Bay City General Store Experience

How many times have you walked into one of the big box retailers and they call you by name, ask how you are and really want to know and then invite you to sit down and have a cup of gourmet coffee, on the house???????????? That's the experience you'll have at the Bay City General Store. Unless of course it's a blazing hot afternoon in August and then we'll probably offer you an icy cold glass of lemonade or iced tea. Because that's just the kind of store we are -- a store that makes you feel good and makes your visit a pleasant old fashioned experience.
The coffee pot is on.......come on in! Can't you just smell those freshly ground beans now coming right out of the big red antique Enterprise coffee grinder?

Come sit a spell...

Welcome to the Bay City General Store. We invite you to come and sit a spell. This chair is occupied at the moment with a variegated sweet potato vine but come on in and grab an RC Cola and a Moon Pie and watch the river go by from our shaded picnic table or one of our many retro vintage aluminum lawn chairs. Or better yet come and spend the weekend in one of our Bay City General Store Hotel rooms and relax from the balcony swing while watching the river roll by. Hope to see you real soon...

This rusty toolbox has seen better days but it makes a perfect container for these flowers and vines. It's resting on a primitive turquoise crock shelf with just the right amount of chippy paint and sitting out front of our general store in Bay City, Illinois.

What's cooking?

This old iron kettle once used to make soap is now host to sweet potato vines, pettunias and other purple flowers.

Can't see the forest for the trees...

This is just one view of our property overlooking the Ohio River in Pope County. Multiply these trees by 100 and you will get a sense of what our property looks like. A quick glimpse at a map will show that our county has thousands of acres in the Shawnee National Forest. We are the Whitetail Deer Capital of Illinois, more trees than people, well you get the picture -- and yet this Mama and Papa Bird could not find a more suitable location to start their family. At any rate we have welcomed them with open arms.

The Humble Abode

Be it ever so humble, there's no place like home! Mama and Papa Bird seem to be quite content to call my watering can home sitting right in the middle of the traffic pattern on our front porch. And that traffic includes two cats and a dog! I must admit the view is quite stunning so maybe they figure it's worth the risk.

It's good to share...

I was going to keep all these wonderful boxes for myself, but then I decided it was good to share. I'm not sure what to call them -- they have six compartments and make great storage boxes for crafts, kitchens, work benches, small toys or whatever your creative spirit can come up with. I have used one as a shadowbox for shells, rocks and other treasures from nature. The box has brass handles on each end and they are very sturdy. Although the boxes are new they have been ages in all the right places. This box, filled with craft goodies, is in my Ebay store right now -- Bay City General Country Store.

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

Thanks Just Doesn't Seem to be Enough

A heartfelt thanks to all the veterans and their families for all the sacrifices that have been made in the name of freedom. May we all cherish this and not let anyone take it away from us.

We are headed to a big auction and hope to have new treasures to show you later this week.
Have a safe Memorial Day!

Photo courtesy of Barb Shelby Cimeley. Her work can be seen in fine gift shops in the Indianapolis area.

If we had a motto...

If we had a motto, this would be it - Welcome, Sit Long, Talk Much! People ask us what our marketing niche is and we scratch our head but it really is simple -- we offer what you remember from your neighborhood store. We encourage our customers to sit a spell, plop down in one of our retro lawn chairs and watch the river flow by. Grab a cold soda out of the antique soda cooler and visit with us for a while. Take a stroll down memory lane looking through our old store ledgers when two yards of calico fabric would set you back 30 cents. Walk down the shelves from this 1915 store and see all the antiques and gifts we have selected for you.
Looking for a relaxed and friendly shopping experience...the Bay City General Store is just that place. We are located on the Ohio River, 12 miles south of Golconda, Illinois. Come on and see for yourself just what I'm talking about.

The Way Things Were...

Take a step back in time at the Bay City General Store. Built in 1915, this store was operated as a general merchandise store until 1973 when the owner passed away. We bought and reopened the store in 2005 as an antique and gift store. We have tried to recreate the store as it was many years ago. An old oak thread cabinet, much like the one pictured here, greeted you as you walked through the door. Ms. Tressie was more than ready to measure out your fabric using her yardstick nailed to the countertop and it's still there although time-worn in many places. We are blessed to still have the old store ledgers and neighbors that grew up here enjoy looking through them to find their relatives. Others like to look at the prices from the 20's and 30's.
We hope the next time you are passing through you'll take a minute and step back in time.

Old McDonald Had a Farm

and on this farm he had a chicken, a red barn cabinet, baby chicks, a barnyard welcome sign, patriotic baled berry bowls, a rooster birdhouse and so much more for your primitive country home. The Bay City General Store carries a wide variety of merchandise for every decorating style. Stop in and see us when you are in the neighborhood.