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For 84 years the Hosking General Store served the coastal community of Oyster Pond, Nova Scotia in the care of three generations of storekeepers: Mrs. Florence Mitchell (1891-1918), “Willie O” Mitchell (1918-49) and finally, Garth & Mildred Hosking (1949-75).
Typical of a village store, the Store sold everything under one roof. And yet in this community the Store did not have a monopoly. It faced competition from several other stores, mail order catalogues, local and traveling peddlers of meat, vegetables and butter. Even tougher competition came from vessels that carried goods directly from farmers or warehouses in Halifax.
The images in this exhibit paint a memorable picture of life in Oyster Pond. More importantly, the Store’s records reveal the changes in lifestyle in Oyster Pond over 84 years. Discover who lived in Oyster Pond, what they bought, and when they paid off their credit. These records also provide insight into the business practices of each storekeeper, the Store’s suppliers, and how transportation of supplies changed over the years.
By clicking on the exhibit’s various hotspots, you can follow specific types of records (grocery invoices, business correspondence) or you can turn to the photo albums for a broader view of the family, the building and the community.
