The Country Store

By Martha Woodroof

Batesville, VA – A good definition of the space between a rock and a hard place might be the economic viability of a traditional Virginia country store. Once the heartbeat of farming communities' commerce and conversation, these old-fashioned emporiums have become endangered by rural Virginians increasing mobility. So, the question facing rural communities is how to keep "the country store" conversation going if "the country store" commerce is going elsewhere.