t. c. lindsey and co. general store

This should be added to your "bucket list" of must stops if you are in east Texas. Just a couple of miles off Interstate 20. You will not be disappointed if you love history. A note of caution---this store is open just a few hours each wee. The Friday we visited the hours I believe were 10AM to 2PM and several days of the week they were closed. When you walk in you definitely are headed back into history. The old shelves are stoked with lots of old cans, bottles and boxes plus there are actually a few items you might could purchase and sue. There is a table and seating area in the middle of the store and this used not to be there. At the back of the store is a meat counter on where in the old days lots of meats were sold. Today it's for conversation.Just to the left in the back of the store is a cheese cutting block. The type you see only in museums or movies. You can get a hunk of cheddar cheese cut to your liking, wrapped and ready to go or take the cheese along with some crackers in the basket and have yourself a snack while in the store. You will notice lots of old cans and boxes as you set at the long table and the lady who had worked there for more than 50 years will tell you all about the store plus the area around the store. She knows all of the history about the family so don't forget to ask. She loves to have a conversation. In the left side of the store was the hardware department where one can still see all kinds of old hand tools plus the last bale of cotton that was baled at the gin many years ago. There is a gin on the property and just across the road..The ceilings are tall and the wooden floors "creak"just like one of those haunted houses. Lots of glass cases filled with candy both fresh and some from years past. You can stay a littler longer if you will purchase a soft drink from the cooler in the back of the store. On the right side of the building is an "outhouse", at least that is the marking. It is actually single rest room in the store plus you get a chance to see the old post office boxes, window and some of the items sold for the homemaker.By the way 10 movies have made this store a part of their movie productions and you can find a list hanging high that list the names of those movies. Did I tell you it cost nothing to go inside and browse around. There is a lot more history that you I will attempt to put on this site so ask the lady on site.

We walked into the store and it felt like we stepped back in time. It's a must-see! We were offered samples of a cheddar cheese that the store clerk cut for us on a 100+ year-old cheese cutter. My sisters both loved the cheese enough to purchase some!There are some items there that are not for sale (a lot of items, actually), but are items that were sold "back in the day". And don't miss the old post office! Many movies have been made there.Well worth the stop!

We visit T.C.Lindsey & Co. Yearly , usually in October. We enjoy sitting around with a soda and cheese and crackers and talking with the Vaughan and Miller families who own this general store since 1846 . We like to purchase the jellies, jams, and butter spreads as they taste great and make wonderful gifts ! Last year we were there for the fundraising event they hold yearly for burn victims called "Boo Run" . The store gets quite a lot of visitors . Quite often tour buses stop in. There is a lot of history here- including the old post office inside. It is always interesting to see the antiques. T.C. Lindsey has a lot to see and new things each time we visit . My father-in-law who is 85 years old visited and would love to again. There are a lot of fun things to do nearby also such as camping, fishing, shopping,etc. They host an open house at Christmas with a huge tree complete with train like on the movie "Polar Express" and coffee, hot chocolate, and cookies ! Stop in for a visit, you'll be glad you did !Sherry Turner from Colorado

This place was not at all what I expected. Let me first explain that my family wanted to bring here when I came for a visit because I am the type of person that enjoys antiques, museums, and experiencing "the way things used to be." Some general stores I have visited have been preserved as they were in their heyday, essentially a museum where they have shelves serve as exhibits, stocked with products from companies that have long been out of business. These stores are usually manned by someone who knows about the history of the area and the store itself, and can tell you stories about the customers or major events that had happened, as well as about the items on display. Additionally, I have been to general stores that operate much like they did 70 years, selling glass bottled soft drinks and old-fashioned candy you can't find anywhere else. These stores also usually sell locally made consumables or crafts and souvenirs. The TC Lindsey General Store is some type of hybrid, but a poorly done version of either. It very much appears to be an attraction in decay. With some research, you'll learn that half a dozen movies have been filmed there and you may envision a pristinely maintained store, but upon entering, you'll realize you're wrong. I expect that in it's heyday (as an attraction), the general store was something to see. After the movies were filmed (25 years ago), I can imagine that the store had a relative boom of visitors, and that it was run like those stores I first mentioned, with old products on the shelves and the display cases acting as exhibits. And, while there are still glimpses of this (i.e. the sewing supply display), the store has clearly declined since that point, with everything caked in a layer of dust, things packed into corners, and most of the shelves in disarray. There are a variety of history and cookbooks for sale, as well as some local jams and jellies and a random assortment of foods, household products, and medications (indicating that the store may still service the surrounding rural area as a general store). For me, there wasn't enough to look at (or properly displayed for that matter) to qualify as a museum, and there wasn't enough for sale to deem it an operating general store that would serve as an attraction. The store is quaint, and has a few interesting items, like the giant pair of overalls and the dentist chair (complete with a tooth), but I wouldn't drive very far out of the way to see this. If you decide to go by because you are interested in the local history or seeing where one of the movies was filmed, go for it, but I wouldn't allot any more than an hour for a visit. If you are interested in a general store that sells t-shirts, kitschy souvenirs, and food, check out the genera store in Jefferson, TX (relatively nearby).

TC Lindsey is a must see. My family lives about 30 minutes from the store, but we come to visit about once a year, and have always brought out of town friends here to experience it. We used to come by overalls from the upstairs section with the giant pair of overalls hanging over the stairs that fascinated me as a child. all of the antiques are neat as well, esp the old dentist's chair. Be sure and have some cheese and crackers, vienne sausages, bottled drink, and check out the in-store post office and the historical sights across the street.The brothers dont run it anymore, but I hope that it will be here for a long time to come.Also, Disney filmed a couple of movies here in the 50's!