2010.11.08
ZIP Codes | 24578, Rockbridge County
Bread was 27 cents a loaf, and coffee was 27 cents per pound when Carlton Layne opened Layne’s Market on U.S. 11 on Nov. 17, 1954. Times have changed since then, but much remains the same at this country store in Rockbridge County. “We still give credit to quite a few people who pay me once a month or whenever,” Layne, 80, said from behind the counter, where he keeps a little black book to track those transactions.
Midway between Natural Bridge and Lexington, the store’s history long exceeds Interstate 81 or U.S 11. The first business on the property was a log structure built in 1840 to support travelers along the Great Wagon Road. Later, it became a service station and had overnight cabins for tourists. Layne bought and expanded the business. When the interstate was built parallel to U.S. 11 in the early 1960s, business slowed down, but, within two years, Layne said, he was selling more than before.
One of the store’s big sellers is country ham. “I can’t ever remember country ham being below 98 cents a pound in my life, and now they’re still not over $2.98 a pound. It’s unusual, isn’t it?” Layne said. He describes his ham as “the old time, Virginia salted, sugar cured, pepper coated. Cured like the people did before the deep freezers were made.”
Layne’s sells apples by the pound, half-bushel and bushel. “We haul from 12 to 15 orchards within a 50-mile radius. During the peak of the season, you may have 20 to 22 varieties of apples. It’s not like a store-bought apple. They’re not refrigerated; they’re fresh picked. Virginia is known as a good apple state. We’ve built a good local trade and traveler’s trade. They expect us to have them over the years. They continue to come back.”
Layne said, “You just meet a lot of good people from all over the country. I think the business is based more on friendship than anything else. Seems like a large family, and it keeps everyone happy. I don’t work but seven days a week. I cut back on my hours a little bit, I only work 70 hours a week now. To do that, you must enjoy it.”
– Eric Brady | The Roanoke Times
ZIP Codes: A photographic journey through Southwest Virginia Explore the whole series here, at roanoke.com
____________________
24158: Rockbridge County by the numbers
- Average household income: $49,915
- Population: 18,959
- Households: 7,855
- Average age: 40
- Average travel time to work in minutes: 26
Source: The Nielson Co., 2010
This article on Layne’s Country Store was great. I grew up in Buchanan and shopped at Laynes frequently. I now live in Ohio, near Cincinnati. However, when I come to visit family, I try and make it to Laynes to buy a slice of hoop cheese. I am not sure how he survives those 90 degree high humidity days, but it sure does make the hoop cheese taste delicious.
Comment by C Bryant — November 8, 2010 @ 5:52 pm
My husband used to stop at Layne’s when he was working in the area and bring home country ham; we’ve made special trips back to Layne’s on occasion just for the ham. Not salty at all, so good on a hot biscuit.
Comment by Kathy — November 9, 2010 @ 10:05 am