A hundred years ago, Palmyra looked very different. The population hovered around 8,500. Roads were few and far between, and a now-vanished railway played a vital role in connecting the community to the outside world. The Rosenwald Schools were being built, expanding educational opportunities for Black students across rural areas. It was a time when a small local store could be essential to everyday life and become part of a community’s foundation. In 1926, in the space the clock shop currently occupies, one such store opened its doors in the heart of the village.
Edward Thomas Sr. opened E.W. Thomas General Store, never imagining it would still be serving the community a century later. Now spanning three generations, the store remains family-owned and is carried on by his granddaughters Beth, Linda, Lee, and Ann.
Beth explains that in those early years, the store was much more than a place to pick up groceries. You could stop in for hardware, grab a pair of coveralls for work or Red Ball tennis shoes, and even fill up at the gas pump. Inside, a butcher shop buzzed with activity as Mr. Jim, known for walking to work each day, carefully cut fresh slabs from hanging pork and beef, wrapping them in white paper and weighing them for customers.
When Edward Thomas Sr. passed the torch, his son, Edward Thomas Jr. (E.W.), carried the vision forward. In 1969, he made a pivotal decision to purchase land just across the river and build a larger store to serve a growing community. Some questioned the move, believing the location was too far from the village and that the store would not last. But E.W.’s vision proved otherwise.
That same period marked another meaningful chapter. Mrs. Maggie, who operated a small general store beside the original location, also served as the town’s DMV agent. When she decided to step away, she offered E.W. and his wife, Betsy, the opportunity to continue the service. They accepted and brought the DMV into the new store, a service that continues to this day.
Today, Beth, Linda, Lee, and Ann carry forward not just a business, but a century of relationships, memories, and trust. No small feat, it speaks to resilience, adaptability, and a deep-rooted commitment to the people it serves. We don’t just celebrate a milestone, we celebrate a legacy built on hard work, family, and community.
Be sure to stop in and congratulate the staff who keep this treasure running smoothly and follow EW Thomas on Facebook for celebrations throughout the year!
