General Store with convenience items plus crafts, used furniture and antiques
Kennedy Store was started by James L. Kennedy in the Potato Creek Community in the late 1800's selling peanuts and coffee. He and his son Carl M. Kennedy took weekly turns working the store and going home to Turkey Knob Community to farm. Around 1907, Kennedy Store was moved to a wooden building in Turkey Knob Community across the road from its present location at the intersection of Mount Carmel Road and Turkey Knob Road. Part of the old store stood in its original place until 2008, when it became necessary to tear it down from years of wear. The existing store was built in 1937.
Carl M. Kennedy eventually became the operator of the store, along with his wife Drucy Hash Kennedy. The store served the Turkey Knob and other neighboring communities including some in
Virginia. Kennedy Store served as a true country store and trading post to people for miles around. Life here was often hard for people whose living was made chiefly from farming or copper and iron mining. A store that offered supplies and services was essential to survival for the hardy people who lived here.
As Carl and Drucy continued to operate the store, they added country ham curing to their business. Carl would buy up hams from farmers around in Alleghany and neighboring counties and bring them here to Turkey Knob to process and cure. He sold the cured hams at Kennedy Store and to many restaurants in North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland and Texas. Mr. Carl, as many called him, ran his business until 1970.
Eula Kennedy Hauser (youngest daughter of Carl) and husband Holt Hauser operated the store for about 15 years after Carl and Drucy became older. After Carl and Holt's deaths, McDale (Carl's youngest son) and wife Iva Mae ran the store until it closed in 1988 when McDale's health began to fail. Kennedy Store was open continuously from its opening until this closing, making it possibly the longest operating store in Alleghany County. Many of James L. Kennedy's descendants are still living in Turkey Knob near Kennedy Store.
During the years that the store was closed, people were often spotted taking pictures and posing on the porch. People got a real feeling for the past as they peeked in the windows to get a glimpse of the old counters and shelves that once held precious and needed supplies for the hard-working people of the area.
In October 2011, fourth and fifth generation family members, with much help from “Aunt
Eula” reopened Kennedy Store …24 years after the closing in 1988. They hope to bring back that same good old feeling today that folks used to get when visiting Kennedy Store years ago.
The store offers antiques, art and handcrafted goods consigned by many talented people from the local area. The usual snacks, packaged sandwiches, drinks and groceries can also be purchased there. Take a trip to this beautiful community... shop at Kennedy Store...and enjoy a visit to the past!
