| A white frame structure housed the first store on the site of the current Emory Mercantile. Built in 1883, it burned and was rebuilt by C.B. Akers in 1896. Akers ran the store and served as postmaster for the village of Emory for about ten years before selling the two-story frame building and connected two-story dwelling to a man named Peters. When John Nye became involved in the store, it was named the Emory Mercantile Co. until going out of business in 1928. Emory & Henry College owned the store for a short time before Fred Denton took over the operation and ran “Denton’s Store” for 30 years. |  |
Denton’s Store prospered and offered fresh vegetables and meat and eventually frozen foods brought all the way from Bristol. Customers also could purchase items ranging from horseshoes to piece goods, and until after World War II, a fountain and snack bar also was a treat for the community. Under the next owner, W.A. Worthingon, the store began to offer more food and personal items. In 1962, a fire destroyed the building, which was replaced with the current one-story structure. The Minute-ette Inc. purchased the store from Worthington in 1967. The store ran under the name of “Klink’s” for many years and was purchased by Emory & Henry College in 1998 and renamed the Emory Mercantile Co.
The “Merc” sells school supplies and everything E&H from key chains to T-shirts and other necessities of college life such as CDs and jelly beans. A deli is located in the Merc, featuring sandwiches and subs made to order with names such as the Lamplighter, the Wasper and the Emory. Customers look forward to sitting next to the old coal stove at the wooden tables covered with checkered cloth and enjoying the company along with the weekly specials and homemade desserts.
For more information about the Emory Mercantile, check out its website.