The Penn Store - More Than Meets the Eye

In what is today an out of the way destination stands the Penn Store. In family ownership since 1850 when Gabriel Jackson Penn purchased the store, the Penn Store has remained the longest standing single family owned business in America. Jeanne Penn Lane is the current owner, an art major and song writer who once lived in Nashville, TN. She is an amazing woman with wonderful stories. When the store was built, c 1845, it sat at the intersection of two waterways, accommodating horse travel. Today both of those streams are nearly dry from ongoing drought. The floor is uneven, the shelves cluttered, and candy is still sold in jars. Apart from the unusualness, travelers can still find Pringles and a Coke. What makes the Penn Store unique-chairs. Jeanne told a story of a tourist, a little girl. She came to the door and looked in and then ran back to her car. Moments later she reappeared with her father affirming "see this isn't a store, it has chairs".

Well of course. The corner store was a place to go for conversation, especially in this part of Kentucky. When news spread people came to the corner store -- the Penn Store -- to talk about it. Decisions that would affect the entire town were made right there at the Penn Store.

Continuing tradition, the second and third Sunday's the Penn Store features the only live entertainment in Gravel Switch, KY with gut bucket music on the second Sunday and poetry and gossip on the third.

To listen, click here.
To "virtually" visit, click here.

When in Kentucky, take the time to drive to Gravel Switch and visit the Penn Store, where you can get a Bologna sandwich for a dollar and storey telling for an hour. It is definitely worth it!