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| Old Store at Piney Forest Road and Franklin Turnpike Danville, Virginia |
| The P. D. Fuller Store was built on the site where Reuben B. Ricketts' store had been. |
called the “Bachelor’s Hall Road.” This very old road led by Beavers’ Mill southwest to Berry Hill and
North Carolina or west to Henry County. At the four-way intersection, the other roads led south to
Danville, north to Callands and on to Franklin and Botetourt counties, and northeast to the Pittsylvania
courthouse at Chatham. Today, this is the intersection of Piney Forest Road and Franklin Turnpike in
Danville, Virginia.
This crossroads has always been a perfect location for stores and Ricketts set up his on the southwest
corner, where the Wendy's Restaurant is now located. Although he only kept the property for a year,
later documents mention a point near “Ricketts Old Stand.” This was probably a small store. I
searched for years for a photograph of the store and I did find a photograph of what seemed to be
Reuben B. Ricketts' store (see picture above), but on the back of the photograph was a notation that
the photo was taken in 1885 and the cost of building the store was $1,864 and a few cents. At the
time of the picture, it was called “P. D. Fuller’s Mammoth Store.” This was a later building on the same
property where Reuben B. Ricketts previously had his little store.
The store (previously called P. D. Fuller's) was in operation until 1940 and my sister remembers it
well. She remembers the penny (sometimes two-for-a-penny) candy and the penny flip card movies of
famous people.
Hutchersons buy the store
Charlie Hutcherson (born 1859) and his wife Ella Hutcherson (born 1871) bought the old store in 1920
from Major Jones and operated it until 1939 when they moved to Richmond. They called the store
"The Spot Cash Grocery." At one time, Ella Hutcherson ran the store while her husband Charlie
operated Spot Cash Grocery No. 2 on North Main Street opposite Third Avenue.
Aunt Florence marries Hutcherson's son Alvin
On March 3, 1929 my mother's sister Florence "Tiny" Jones married the Hutcherson's son Alvin when
she was only 15 and he was 19. Alvin asked Grandpa Dan Jones if he could marry Florence. Grandpa
said, "She's too young, but if you don't get married, something will happen. Go ahead." Florence took
these pictures of her new in-laws in 1929 at Lovers' Leap west of Stuart, Virginia.
Community bootlegger
Paul Guill was born "next door" to the Hutchersons in 1921. He remembers that beside the store was
Jack Davis' Service Station. Jack Davis taught my Uncle Austin Jones to play the guitar. Well, Jack
was the "community bootlegger" and there was always a crowd of men hanging around. Dan Jones,
Reuben Ricketts, Sterling Collins and others often pitched horseshoes there next to the store. The last
thing my dad (Reuben E. Ricketts) did was pitch a game of horseshoes with me before he went
inside, had a stroke and never woke up. I was sixteen then in 1957. (-- Danny)
Florence & Alvin
Alvin Hutcherson was popular with the girls and that wasn't popular with Tiny, so they moved to
Richmond, where the couple lived for some years. He worked with his brother at the Sanitary Grocery,
which Florence said later became Safeway. Alvin and Tiny eventually divorced. She later married Rig
Reynolds and had two sons, Mark and Freddy. Florence "Tiny" Jones Hutcherson Reynolds died on
April 5, 2007 at the age of ninety-four.
North Carolina or west to Henry County. At the four-way intersection, the other roads led south to
Danville, north to Callands and on to Franklin and Botetourt counties, and northeast to the Pittsylvania
courthouse at Chatham. Today, this is the intersection of Piney Forest Road and Franklin Turnpike in
Danville, Virginia.
This crossroads has always been a perfect location for stores and Ricketts set up his on the southwest
corner, where the Wendy's Restaurant is now located. Although he only kept the property for a year,
later documents mention a point near “Ricketts Old Stand.” This was probably a small store. I
searched for years for a photograph of the store and I did find a photograph of what seemed to be
Reuben B. Ricketts' store (see picture above), but on the back of the photograph was a notation that
the photo was taken in 1885 and the cost of building the store was $1,864 and a few cents. At the
time of the picture, it was called “P. D. Fuller’s Mammoth Store.” This was a later building on the same
property where Reuben B. Ricketts previously had his little store.
The store (previously called P. D. Fuller's) was in operation until 1940 and my sister remembers it
well. She remembers the penny (sometimes two-for-a-penny) candy and the penny flip card movies of
famous people.
Hutchersons buy the store
Charlie Hutcherson (born 1859) and his wife Ella Hutcherson (born 1871) bought the old store in 1920
from Major Jones and operated it until 1939 when they moved to Richmond. They called the store
"The Spot Cash Grocery." At one time, Ella Hutcherson ran the store while her husband Charlie
operated Spot Cash Grocery No. 2 on North Main Street opposite Third Avenue.
Aunt Florence marries Hutcherson's son Alvin
On March 3, 1929 my mother's sister Florence "Tiny" Jones married the Hutcherson's son Alvin when
she was only 15 and he was 19. Alvin asked Grandpa Dan Jones if he could marry Florence. Grandpa
said, "She's too young, but if you don't get married, something will happen. Go ahead." Florence took
these pictures of her new in-laws in 1929 at Lovers' Leap west of Stuart, Virginia.
Community bootlegger
Paul Guill was born "next door" to the Hutchersons in 1921. He remembers that beside the store was
Jack Davis' Service Station. Jack Davis taught my Uncle Austin Jones to play the guitar. Well, Jack
was the "community bootlegger" and there was always a crowd of men hanging around. Dan Jones,
Reuben Ricketts, Sterling Collins and others often pitched horseshoes there next to the store. The last
thing my dad (Reuben E. Ricketts) did was pitch a game of horseshoes with me before he went
inside, had a stroke and never woke up. I was sixteen then in 1957. (-- Danny)
Florence & Alvin
Alvin Hutcherson was popular with the girls and that wasn't popular with Tiny, so they moved to
Richmond, where the couple lived for some years. He worked with his brother at the Sanitary Grocery,
which Florence said later became Safeway. Alvin and Tiny eventually divorced. She later married Rig
Reynolds and had two sons, Mark and Freddy. Florence "Tiny" Jones Hutcherson Reynolds died on
April 5, 2007 at the age of ninety-four.
Mrs. Ella Hutcherson and Charlie Hutcherson, owners and operators of The Spot Cash
Grocery located in the old P. D. Fuller Store building, and on the lot where my
great-grandfather Reuben B. Ricketts' little store had stood years before.
Grocery located in the old P. D. Fuller Store building, and on the lot where my
great-grandfather Reuben B. Ricketts' little store had stood years before.
| Alvin Hutcherson and his wife Florence Jones Hutcherson, sister of Danny's mother Marie |
| with his tongue stuck out is Austin Jones (Alvin's brother-in-law) |
| Florence (Jones) Hutcherson Reynolds with her nephew Danny Ricketts in 2005. She was 92 years old. |
