Very few historic general stores have survived modernity. As chain grocery stores and mega retailers emerged, they were demolished or turned into homes, museums, or event centers. R.M. Brooks in Rugby, Tennessee, is an exception. Since the 1920s, it has been continuously owned by the same family. And, its doors only closed temporarily after the third-generation operator’s sudden passing.
For over a century, R.M. Brooks has been a hub of activity in rural Morgan County. A featured segment on YouTube’s The Appalachian Channel went viral and prompted countless travelers to veer off Interstate 75 and drive the country roads leading to R.M. Brooks General Store.
The YouTube video motivated Ted and Kathy Lilly of Texas to add R.M. Brooks to their almost four-week road trip through eight states. “My grandfather owned and operated a small country store in East Texas that was very similar to R.M. Brooks,” Ted said. “Watching the videos just made me feel good. When I saw the locals sit in the rockers, drink coffee, and visit in front of the U.S. Army Cannon Heater, I had to add [the store] to my bucket list.”
“My father passed away suddenly in January 2010,” Tiffany said. “We shut down the store in January 2012 for a few years while we determined who would run it. My mom was running her bed and breakfast, and I was helping her. She officially owned the store with my uncle but couldn’t manage the store also.” Her mother, 88, still runs the bed and breakfast.
April 2014 was the official reopening of the R.M. Brooks store. Tiffany and Doug, who had retired from a career in law enforcement, were at the helm. They are helped by two employees and occasionally their adult children.
“We are very hands on,” said Tiffany, whose house is within walking distance. “We’re here every day but Sundays and Mondays stocking, greeting, cashiering, cooking, serving, cleaning bathrooms, washing dishes, and talking to people.”
Staying the Same
At one time in America, general stores were situated throughout farming communities and growing cities. Whether they were shed-like structures offering simple basics, or large buildings that housed owners upstairs or in a back section, they were ubiquitous across the United States. Although it’s hard to know how many general stores there were, they were imperative to communities. Seasonal produce and essentials, such as milk, flour, tools, fabric, and more, were readily available. Larger stores provided a lifetime’s worth of goods, from “cradle to casket.”Additionally, holiday celebrations, music jams, and political stumping were commonplace at general stores. R.M. Brooks still hosts activities, and the store has welcomed politicians even in recent years.
Visitors “are awed by the time lapse they feel when entering,” noted Tiffany’s mother, Linda, regarding why so many people gravitate to an establishment whose time should have passed. “They come and without exception say, ‘Stay the way you are. Don’t change. I’ll be back.’”
In three simple words, Ted explained another reason he and his wife and some friends added The National Register of Historic Places site to their travel plans: “It’s our history.”
