Do you miss your childhood, or at least parts of it? Man, I sure do. I miss that little bitty Texas town I grew up in. I miss the good folks I went to school and church with, and I miss being surrounded by my family. Times back then were so simple. You never had to worry about hopping on your bike, riding through the East Hooks Courts, or being abducted. You never had to question whether or not someone was being honest with you. And you never had to fret about someone slipping a Mickey in your food or drink. (For clarification purposes, Mickey, when I was growing up, was a funny, little cartoon mouse we watched on television on Saturday mornings!)
I often tell my grandchildren, “I wish you could just spend one day in my life when I was your age.” How wonderful that would be for them; no fears, just good, clean, and electronic-free fun!
Unlike the present day, when I was a child, we didn’t have a perpetual supply of store-bought sweets around the house. Candy bars, Cokes, ice cream, and gum were reserved for special occasions, and usually came into our lives only a few times each month.
But man, I remember every single candy that Moore’s Grocery in Hooks, Texas stocked. Being able to walk in and see all of those sweet confections sitting on the shelf made me feel like Santa had just dropped a bag full of toys into my lap!
And now, thanks to the folks at a little place called Dixie Country Store, I am able to do a little morph back in time and allow my grandchildren to experience with me a smidgen of that same happiness.
And for the record, when we are there, cell phones and iPads are the last things on their minds! You see, Dixie Country Store is a candy store. Not just any candy store; it’s a blast from the past candy store!
If you hop on the Natchez Trace, Dixie Country Store is a mere half hour from Tupelo. Picture this: an old country store filled to the brim with literally ALL of your favorite childhood candies!
It’s a straight-up walk right down the middle of memory lane! In fact, I dare you to mention your favorite candy as a kid and not be able to find it there. Trust me. It’s there. And most of the candies are packaged just as you remember them.
When you drive up, you are greeted by a quaint little white-washed frame house with a metal roof. You’ll also spot an old rusty truck, various signage from days gone by, antiquated gas pumps, and well-worn wooden barrels filled with flowers of the season; a perfect place to take a few family snapshots.
Once you step through the door, you had better be mentally prepared. You will have to practice serious restraint, for you are going to want one of every candy they carry — and that’s a LOT of candy.
“No!” says the voice of reason rattling in your head, as your gaze wanders to and from each delectable morsel stacked neatly on the shelves.
“Listen to me! You cannot have one of everything! You must only buy a few pieces of candy! Stop it! No! Put that down. Think about your budget!”
“Oh! A buggy! That’s what I need!” you exclaim silently.
“No! I did not say ‘buggy’! I never said that word. They do not have buggies! I said, BUDGET!”
Don’t you just hate the voice of reason?
So, what candies DO they have? Actually, it would be much easier to list the ones they don’t have.
But just for grins, here are a few of my favorites: Atomic Fireballs, Lemonheads, Cinnamon Suckers (the square ones!), Nesco Wafers, those cool wax lips that you can play with and then chew, Pop Rocks, Fruit Striped Gum, Golden Eagle Caramel Corn, Wacky Wafers, Gold Mine Bubble Gum (the gum shaped like chunks of gold and packaged in the little cloth bag), Clove Gum, Candy Cigarettes, Razzles, Nik and Nips (the little wax bottles filled with juice), Bottlecaps, Candy Necklaces, Now and Laters, Sweet Tarts, all things chocolate, vintage cold drinks, and of course…hand dipped ice cream cones!
LIONS, AND TIGERS, AND BEARS, OH, MY!
Those are just MY preferred candies. Don’t worry if I didn’t list the ones you liked as a kid. They have a massive selection of what I lovingly call, ‘Woodstock candies,” so I am certain the ones you long for are there!
Why not pack up the family on Saturday and head over to Dixie Country Store? I guarantee that it’s a trip the entire family will enjoy.
Be sure to check out their Facebook page for a full list and pictures of the products they carry!
Dixie Country Candy Store is open on Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and is located at 11886 MS-371, Marietta, MS.
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