Aug 27, 2024
Philip Story grew up his formative years in the small
community of Macedonia, some seven miles south of Magnolia at the
intersection of Arkansas Hwys. 19 and 160. He grew up walking up
the road to one of the two Franks' grocery stores that served the
community. Nearly everything was sold there, including ice cold
Coca Colas and those lemon flavored Jackson cookies that were sold
out of the big glass jar.
Today, Philip is the co-owner not only of his own country
store but the one remaining Franks store building as well. In
December of 2022, the ribbon was cut on Keith's Grocery Store a
mile or so north of the old Franks store. Along with his wife
Terri, son and daughter-in-law Andrew and Sarah Story and daughter
Gretchen Wooley, it’s a family effort running the store that has
been serving the Macedonia community for decades. It was opened by
William Keith Sr., and carried on by his son, William "Butch"
Keith, Jr. Butch passed away in August of 2021 inside the store he
loved and served most of his life.
The store remained closed until Philip, recently retired from
Albemarle, developed a hankering to return to a profession he had
enjoyed in his younger years--grocer! In December of 2022 the Story
family held a ribbon cutting at Keith's Grocery was open again
serving the Macedonia community.
History repeats itself! Macedonia once was home to not one but
two country stores, both just a stone's throw away from each other.
How two stores managed to thrive and survive so close to each other
in a small community has always been a mystery to me. Macedonia
once again has not one but two stores serving its population.
"It was a surprise but we've just tried to put our best foot
forward doing what we do as good as we can and find a way to it
better and treat our customers as we want to be treated ourselves,"
Philip told me when I asked about the opening of another store
adjoining Keith's Grocery. They've not seen a decrease in sales
since the new store opened and they still offer a down-home meat
counter with a selection you want find fresher or personally cut to
order elsewhere.
I enjoyed my interview with Philip as much as any I've done
here in Lower Arkansas. The fact that my dad and his mom were first
cousins and we both had family roots in Macedonia made it that much
more enjoyable. Take a moment to listen to today's podcast and you
may soon find yourself shopping at Keith's Grocery,