Robie's Country Store Historic Preservation Corp. Brochure

The last family owner of the store was Lloyd Robie, the fourth generation to operate the store and post office. Lloyd and his wife Dorothy took over the business in March 1965. With their retirement on November 1, 1997, a chapter of New Hampshire history ended.
Hoping to preserve a building of such historical significance, as well as the character of the enterprise operated by the Robie family for 110 years, a group of local people formed Robie's Country Store Historic Preservation Corp. when the store closed. Members of the Board of Directors serve staggered three-year terms, and officers are elected at the annual meeting in April of each year. Everyone involved in the effort to preserve this landmark is a volunteer. In 2000 the corporation purchased the property from the Robie family.		Lloyd Robie and Del Hebert, 1966.
State and local candidates and presidential hopefuls, in New Hampshire for the nation's first primary, found the picturesque shop an ideal photo opportunity, perhaps as a way to be seen keeping in touch with "small town America." Campaign posters, keepsakes and photographs of candidates are displayed on the wall sof the store. The famous "Jimmy Who?" query is said to have been coined by Lloyd when Jimmy Carter made his first campaign stop in New Hampshire in 1975. Because of its long and colorful political history, candidates are still drawn to the store. They come to meet the voters, continuing the tradition of this uniquely New Hampshire forum for our citizens.		Dorothy Robie with an unidentified customer, 1965
Memorabilia, keepsakes, and historic artifacts from the late 1800s to the present decorate the museum-like interior. These items give us the opportunity to teach, to encourage intergenerational discussion and interest in the "living museum" portion of our project and to prompt the telling of oral histories so vital to families. The store is an opportunity for a glimpse into the past of a small business in a rural New England town and provides a resource and research tool for our children.		Checkers players, George Robie and Lester Shaw
Robie family photos: top to bottom, George A. Robie, Arthur G. Robie, George W. Robie, Lloyd and Dorothy Robie
MISSION STATEMENT To preserve the cultural and historical heritage of Robie's Country Store by maintaining the historical structure and controlling its use to create a living, historical, educational and cultural museum.