In 1914 it was Massengill's Store & Warehouse.
In 1944 it was RA Temple's O-Kay Groceries.
In 1965 it was Austin's General Store.
Now Stanfield's General Store, this piece of real estate in Downtown Four Oaks has been a rural destination of supplies and sustenance for the people of southern Johnston County for decades.
Before the birth of super-markets and mega-stores, the local general store was where life's necessities were acquired. Sometimes stretching across multiple store fronts, general stores had hardware materials, farm supplies, groceries, toys, cleaning products, clothing, and candy. Because of this, general stores were also normally a community's hub of activity, of social interaction, and of gossip.
David Stanfield kept all this in mind when he opened Stanfield's General Store after purchasing three connected store fronts on Main Street. Along with some hardware supplies and lawn care products, he carries delightfully unique arts and crafts, food stuffs, drinks, toys, and jewelry. All of these products are made locally. David said he wanted to highlight and support local craftsmen, "I also wanted products in my store that you couldn't get anywhere else."
Watch a video clip below from Stanfield's feature on the PBS show NC Weekend:
Since its grand opening, Stanfield's has welcomed shoppers from all over the county and beyond. So far the store only exists within one store front space. This leaves David with two other spaces to expand into or do something completely different with. No definitive plans have been made yet. As for growing in-store events, Stanfield's may soon have bluegrass jam session nights. Or possibly days where you can meet local craftsman of the products you can purchase in the store. In the meantime I recommend the cheese straws and the glass bottle Coke's.
The possibilities for expansion are endless. Among them the opportunity for general stores like Stanfield's to once again become the hub of social interaction for the community. A place where families gather to play music together, to purchase necessities, to chat over life's ups and downs, and to find what glaringly-lit box stores can't offer - a sense of community and a feeling of pride that only shopping local can give you.
In 2020 Backporch Brew opened in Stanfield's! The small but mighty coffee shop offers a wide variety of coffees and baked goods to enjoy outside on their "backporch" or while looking at all the antique items the store has to offer. Enjoy a delicious cream shake on a hot day or a mocha on a gloomy day!
