Chilly December days are making me nostalgic for summer, a gorgeous season in the quiet village of Middlebrook, VA (Pop. >800). On the rustic main drag, set among dozens of horse farms, stand a garage, a library/post-office, and a general store, which recently closed down.
It first opened in 1901 and changed hands several times after spells of inactivity, but when it’s open, it’s as hopping as any other Middlebrook business. Before closing in August, the shelves were stocked with candy, gourmet preserves and antiques around a potbellied stove in the middle of the hardwood floor. The owners have skipped town but hope whoever buys the place next will keep it as a general store, giving the small town its favorite old place to meet.
Thither and Yon 