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Thursday, November 7, 2024 - 10:15 AM

INDEPENDENT CONSERVATIVE VOICE OF UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA

First Published in 1994

INDEPENDENT CONSERVATIVE VOICE OF
UPSTATE SOUTH CAROLINA

NGU-General-Store-1

The T. P. Wood Store, a historic landmark for a century is now part of North Greenville University and next month is scheduled to reopen as Tigerville General Store.

The ancient country store once housed the Tigerville Post Office, and the Tyger Masonic Lodge. The property was in the Wood Family until it became property of the university recently. Several decades ago it was the scene of a horrific crime when bandits murdered the postmistress in the post office part of the building.

As late as the 1970s and 1980s The Wood store was a gathering place for residents of the community who got together to relive memories of days gone bye.  During the winter men of the community gathered around the “pot-belly stove” in the retail area. On cool summer evenings a bench out front was a favorite gathering place. Sometimes there would even be a game of checkers.

Jim Beacham, a United States Army veteran, farmer, retired mill worker and resident of the Camp Creek community just across Packs Mountain, had a sentimental attachment to the Wood Store. Every weekday afternoon at the exact same time, he would climb in his Ford, drive to the home of neighbor Charlie Crowe and the two would head for the Wood Store to buy a Pepsi Cola. When the weather was suitable, they would sit on the bench out front of the store, talk and drink their Pepsi. Before nightfall, they would climb back into the Ford and drive slowly back to Camp Creek.

The store has been closed for about a decade, sitting empty across the street from the University. Now it will become the final structure to blend in and become part of the rapidly expanding university campus, that during the life of the Wood Store was a small Junior College, and before that a boarding high school named North Greenville Baptist Academy.

The facility has been renovated and expanded to include a general store, pizza parlor and ice cream vendor. The parking area is being expanded and larger gas tanks installed in the ground.

University workmen have been working on the renovation project since October 2014. University officials believe the store will help keep students on campus and off the dangerous roads. Currently they must drive several miles just to purchase fuel for their vehicles.

The upper story, former Masonic Lodge, will provide a lounge and relaxation area for students. The upper story was originally reached only by an outside stair that has been removed and replaced with an inside staircase.