The Life and Death of a Country Store, A Memoir by Edd McGrath

The Life and Death of a Country Store, A Memoir, is a touching story of the men, women, and children who lived in rural Illinois near Hugo, along the banks of the Embarrass River. The book is an enriching read that leaves a sense of appreciation, nostalgia, and lingering joy for a way of life that spanned almost two hundred years, but has now come and gone. Edd’s writing skill is displayed in this simple, home-spun tale about Earl’s Place, a country store and gathering spot for the farmers who sat around the potbellied wood stove, drank coffee and RC Colas, swapped stories, played cards on top of an old cardboard box, shared life and friendship, and lived and died there.