There was a general store in this mountain community for thirty years before there was a church or a school. As the only organized institution in the community, it filled many needs. It was the Mayberry Mart - the grocery store, the hardware store, the pharmacy, and the farmers' market. It also served as the social center, the news and information center, and as just about the only source of entertainment in Mayberry. The many amazing personalities that frequented that old store were the source of a lot of traditional mountain lore.