After the U.S. Civil War ended in 1865, people started moving around and settling in all parts of the country. Each small town Telephone Number List that emerged needed a place where people could go to buy every day supplies. General stores were built everywhere. Everything was sold from essential items such as flour, sugar, coffee, tea, and spices to Telephone Number List farm equipment, gun powder, tobacco, gingham fabric, stick candy for children, and seed for planting. Most stores also served as the town post office as well as local hangouts Telephone Number List where townspeople could relax and discuss the latest town gossip and play a friendly game of cards.
A large stock of goods was always kept on hand, with deliveries coming in by horse-drawn wagon and train. But the general store was Telephone Number List plagued with problems with shipments of goods, some arriving a year after being ordered. Store owners used every available space to maximize storage. Ceiling high shelves Telephone Number List were stocked and organized with the largest number and array of items, while surplus and specialty items were Telephone Number List stacked on the floor, on the counter, on boxes and barrels, and in bins, easily visible and readably accessible by reach to any potential patron. Stock in an old general store may have sat for weeks until a local pioneer would have traveled for miles to buy a months-worth of supplies. Therefore, these stores were Telephone Number List infamous for high prices in order to cover their overhead.
During the 1800s, a customer would come into the store and buy something for cash, on credit or barter with the store owner for some Telephone Number List service that they could render or for harvested crops. Store accounting was done by hand, with ledger entries recorded for each customer indicating items bought, payments made and any Telephone Number List balance remaining. The store owner, knowing everyone in the town Telephone Number List and outlying community, needed only a handshake to confirm a deal.