Mark’s The Spot
Which is a huge loss to us all…even if some of us haven’t quite processed this yet. We lose a vital piece of our souls and the best part of our communities when small independent merchants are driven out of business and leave us with no alternatives but to shop at big, soul sucking franchises that have outsourced jobs and opportunities away from their home communites.
However, luckily for this small and off -the -beaten- path village, Mark’s The Spot is still hanging tough after nearly 20 years in business!
I stopped in recently to say hi and as I took a look around, I was absolutely amazed at the sheer variety of necessities this little store carries.
In addition to all the usual convenience store stuff, Mark’s has basic office supplies, copy paper, auto care gear, electrical supplies, hardware, salt licks, fireworks, household supplies, personal care goods, over the counter pharmacy medicines, groceries & frozen food…
If you stopped in at Mark’s on your way to a remote camp you could stock up with pretty much everything you might possibly need!
And, being a full service kind of place the store has a large inventory of movie DVD’s to rent, as well as Grandma’s Express Fried Chicken for a quick meal.
There’s gas and ice too, of course, as well as what must be one of the last remaining outdoor pay phones in existence.
Mark’s also functions as the de facto local gathering spot for folks, where they can meet up at any time and share the latest news and gossip.
Every community needs an informal and casual meeting place to drop into spontaneously in order to share a quick cup of coffee and chat with one’s friends and neighbors, and in Bath, Mark’s The Spot is indeed THE SPOT!
Stephanie Kelley
Is this store not in Beechwood?
Thanks Stephanie, for your right up on Mark’s The Spot it was nice reading and brought back a million memories to me. Why is this because while growing up I lived right next door the Mark’s The Spot store. Which way back then I remember that building being a pool hall and yes in the back of the pool hall you could even but liquids in bottles, I will say no more about that., Because I can only assume the readers understand what this liquid might be. LOL!!
That later on the building was turned into a machine shop and after that Roy Hawkes turned it into a general store and I mean general because he sold everything that you could think of from soup to nuts, clothing, fresh meat, molasses and vinegar by the gallon which you would fill up your jug from a large barrel that was sitting outside along the wall of the store. You mention black flies, well let me tell you around these molasses & vinegar barrels there was thousands for bees. Not only did Row have a general store he also had two grocery truck that traveled thru the country side Monday thru Saturday stopping to every home and people cam on the truck and done their grocery shopping. My first job as a very young boy was working at the store waiting on customers stocking shelves and restocking the grocery trucks that go out on the road and as well all groceries were packed and carried out to the customers car, something you never see today. Roy also has a great restaurant and later on had a dairy bar. Also up stair over the store was apartments as well as a barber shop. Oh those were the days. Every time when I back home on vacation in the summer I always stop into Mark’s The Spot to get some good Maple Leaf Baloney and as well some of Mark’s great fried chicken. Finally I usually have a chat with those sitting on what I call the liars bench situated just outside the store. So by the time I leave I not only have had a thousands memories pass thru my mind, I have been totally updated as to all the local goings on from whom ever is sitting on the lairs bench. In closing I will say Mark’s The Spot is the SPOT so keep up the great work Mark and maintain that old general or country store atmosphere. See you in the summer.