Oldest General Store In America Forced To Close

In "unfortunate news of the day", the oldest operating general store in America closed its doors yesterday. Chalk one up for the strip malls of characterless chain stores that make up our modern landscape, and that essentially ended this family-operated business which had been owned by seven generations. Bitter, table of one, Bitter!

Gray's Store, located in Adamsville, Rhode Island has had an unbelievable business span, having been owned by seven generations of the same kin over 224 years. That all ended yesterday when it shut its doors for the final time. Jonah Waite, who inherited Gray's from his father, Grayton, told ABC, "This was a local business. This was a place that you would come to get your groceries, and there wasn't really any competition."

This is just another reminder that mom-and-pop businesses are a dying breed these days, and hopefully to shop local when you can! I don't know about you but I love my Heeb's Grocery and Cactus Records and Vargo's Jazz City & Books. I'd hate for Walmart and Target to bleed them dry.