I’m sorry to see the closing of Keay’s store in Albion. My brother and I spent summers at our grandparent’s house, the Abbott House, two doors down from the store.

I can remember when farmers would drive their hay wagons with draft horses into town and park there for their weekly shopping.

As a little kid I would sometimes lick the salt blocks sitting on Keay’s porch.

During pea season, our mother would front us the money and we’d buy a 24-can case of soda at Keay’s and pull a wagon to the pea factory and sell the 5-cent sodas to guys working there for 10 cents.

We had a wash tub and got a block of ice at the ice house to keep the soda cold. Then we took the profits back and would buy our own sodas and Harold Keay would let us sit at the counter and read all the new comic books.

Once he took me, in the early morning, on his rounds to Waterville and back buying produce for the store.

A few years back I stopped in at the store and had a long chat with Crosby about the old days and bought Albion hats and T-shirts to pass on to the family. Pleasant memories.

 

Forrest Meader

Skowhegan

Copy the Story Link