Rorvig's Store

When I was little,

people in Dalton did most of their shopping right in Dalton (population 250)

Small towns supplied most of the needs for its families.

What you couldn't find in your small-town store

You ordered from the catalog.

In Dalton, Harry Rorvig had a grocery store;

But it was much more than a grocery store.

There was milk & meat

and eggs & bread;

fruit & vegetables--whatever groceries you needed.

I remember picking out candy

from a glass container on the counter;

Harry would use his scoop and put the candy in a brown paper bag.

Plus:

If you needed material to sew a dress,

Fabric & sewing notions were available at Harry's.

How about winter boots?

Of course. But they were called overshoes.

 I remember going to Rorvig's Store with my dad

to get a new winter coat.

It was a navy blue parka that both boys and girls wore.

Were you invited to a wedding or bridal shower?

Well, at Harry's store you could buy gifts:

towels, blankets, scatter rugs & dish towels.

There were mixing bowls & knick-knacks,

Cake pans and other kitchen items.

These days, you can still buy groceries in the same

location as Harry had his store.

You can even get a few hardware items.

But the small town downtown

with all its businesses is practically all gone.

Sometimes I get nostalgic for those

"good old days."

Was life really simpler then?

Or did it just seem that way

because I was a kid?