Company Store at David
Title
Company Store at David
Description
David had a Commissary in town and a Service Station in Permel that were part of the Mallory Stores (James and David Francis). At the very end they were run by Island Creek Coal. This store at David was the very last in Floyd County. The Company last operated in 1972 as Patsy Development.
There is no institution more symbolic of the coal company town than the commissary or company store. Used by the coal company that built the town and ran the mine to recoup miner's wages, miners were either required to trade at the company store out-right through the use of company money called scrip or were enticed to do so by the use of liberal credit terms, chargeable against future wages. If you needed groceries, clothes, or a refrigerator, you walked into the company store, gave your (or your father's) payroll number and walked out with what you wanted. If you got too deeply in debt, you were put on an allowance until you paid your way out.
There is no institution more symbolic of the coal company town than the commissary or company store. Used by the coal company that built the town and ran the mine to recoup miner's wages, miners were either required to trade at the company store out-right through the use of company money called scrip or were enticed to do so by the use of liberal credit terms, chargeable against future wages. If you needed groceries, clothes, or a refrigerator, you walked into the company store, gave your (or your father's) payroll number and walked out with what you wanted. If you got too deeply in debt, you were put on an allowance until you paid your way out.
Date
circa 1971
Rights
Submitted by Floyd D. Davis
Files
Collection
Citation
“Company Store at David,” Floyd County History Collection, accessed April 18, 2024, http://history.fclib.org/items/show/44.