Going to a store and hand-picking the items you want are mundane acts that we perform weekly, if not every day. That freedom, now taken for granted, is a relatively new concept.
Shoppers didn’t have that option until exactly one hundred years ago, when the first convenience store opened in Memphis, Tennessee, in September 1916. Before that, customers had to order their items from an employee.
Since then, grocery stores have not only expected their shoppers to choose their own items, but have also provided lanes for them to scan themselves without having to interact with a single employee. The latter concept has not yet caught on with most of the people, who still prefer human contact during the transaction.
That human contact is what makes some grocery stores a part of the classic television show scene, from the days of the town general store to the modern phenomenon of the convenience store. Here are five famous places where TV sitcom characters regularly shop for their groceries and the shows they are on.
By Olsen from Little house on the prairie
Nels (played by Richard Bull), father of the mischievous Willie and the snobby Nellie, owns the only place in Walnut Grove, Minnesota where Charles Ingalls (of Michael Landon) and his family can shop for groceries.
Godsey General Store from The Waltons
Ike Godsey (played by Joe Conley) for the first few seasons ran the store alone, but his wife Cora Beth joined the cast for the remainder of the show’s long run.
Quik-E Mart from The Simpsons
His wares are overpriced and his hot dogs often go past their on-sale date, but Apu is one of Springfield’s greats. He is the father of octuplets, enjoyed a short but sensational career as a lead singer, and was even selected as the most desirable bachelor in town.
FergusonIt is Everyone in the family
In an episode called “Archie Eats and Runs,” viewers first learned about Edith’s favorite grocery store, which she feared had sold her the poisoned mushrooms that Archie may have eaten. In a later episode, he has a minor car accident in the parking lot of that same establishment.
Drucker’s from Green acres
The store in Hooterville is named after Sam Drucker (played by Frank Cady) and is also featured in Petticoat crossing, where Uncle Joe frequently serves apples or any other merchandise that appeals to his rather large appetite.