Monday, February 9, 2009

Thanks for the memories!!!

When I was growing up, my Mom always got groceries on Friday at Duvall Grocery. Prior to it being Duvall Grocery, it was Hillard's Grocery and Hardware. I have a connection to Mr. Hillard. He was my step grandfather. When Pappy and I first got married, it was a grocery store/deli run by "Smitty". Over the years, the building has housed several different businesses....Northview Diner....DNL Diner.
Back in "the day", they even sold gasoline!!!

But Sunday morning, the building burned. My Mom called me early and she said that the building was on fire. Pappy and I drove by and got some pics before and after church!

Isn't it wonderful how a small community pulls together?!?!?

These folks are AMAZING!!!
They will never know how much they're appreciated!!!
I hope I never need them....but if I do have a need of that kind, I want them there!!!
They were working in shifts!!

What a dangerous, scary job to be a firefighter!!!
Pic of the building after the fire....still standing, but completely gutted!!!
Deuteronomy 4:9 (NLT)
“But watch out! Be careful never to forget what you yourself have seen. Do not let these memories escape from your mind as long as you live! And be sure to pass them on to your children and grandchildren.
Now...this scripture might not be talking about a childhood/young adult memory of an old grocery store, but I'm a believer that we can learn something from everything that happens in our lives....and that something good can come from everything. This old store burning....as bad as it was to watch it burn and see those guys working hard and getting so hot and tired....it brought back sweet, precious memories. When I got older, Mom would send me to the store to pick up something for her. I would go "out the bank", cross the road, go up to my Mamaw's house, down thru the field, under the fence, and to the store...then re-trace my steps to go back home. I remember the layout of the store and the candy counter, and the stove that kept the store warm!!!! I remember going out there with her on Christmas Eve one year and sitting in the car while she went in and watching it snow...to this day, I remember looking up and watching the snow come down!!!
Every Friday, she would buy me and my brother a candy bar....the only one we got all week...and we would make that thing last as long as we could. She always bought a 6 pack carton of "cokes"....2 for Daddy....1 for Mom....1.5 apiece for me and my brother!!!
I don't know what caused the fire...faulty wiring??? Arson???
I just know that it brought back a flood of sweet memories.
I'm so sorry that the building was destroyed....the inside anyway...but I'm grateful for being able to think back and remember good things associated with it.

In His Love...and with mine!!!

2 comments:

  1. Deb,

    My name is Dan Hillard and I now live in Kentucky, but I was raised up around that Diner. Tommy Hillard is my Grandfather. I noticed you mentioned the Hillards in your blog. Have you heard anymore about what may have started the Fire? My email is dlhillard@yahoo.com. Your blog is nice. I am also a Pastor of Beechgrove Baptist Church in Northern Kentucky and like the same music you do. God bless you!

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  2. I didnt even hear about the fire & I didnt know until I saw it on Monday evening, coming home from work. I hated to see that, that place has been there for as long as I can remember. It was nice reading all of your memories though. I grew up in Thorngrove and we had a little store there that I have a lot of fond memories of. Did you ever go there?

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