ABOUT US
Our family has owned the ‘penny candy store’ since the 1970’s. Mom, Lorraine spotted a full page ad offering the store for sale…she fell in love with it and decided to place an offer. That first deal fell through, but she never forgot about “the store”. Mom & Dad decided Centerville would be a great place to raise their family of five girls, and pretty much on a whim bought a beautiful old Sea Captain’s home being run as a guest house.
After a period of time the ‘penny candy store’ was back on the market. An offer was made and happily this time the deal went through. Well 37 years have passed and Mom is still at the counter greeting customers! Daughters Joanne & Janet have been on board for many years. The store is a labor of love for us all.
When we walk through the door everyday it’s as though we are walking into an extension of our homes. We hope you will feel that way when you visit! If you can’t join us in person, we hope you find our cozy little corner of the world through this website.
A HISTORIC GEM
The 1856 Country Store’s history goes back to 1840 when it was built originally as a place to store cranberries after the harvest. It was turned into a shoe store by Samuel and Moses Hallet in 1842. It was then changed to a general store in 1856.
The store has been a beloved piece of Centerville and Cape Cod ever since. To this day, Centerville retains much of its 19th century charm. Main Street is lined with sea captains’ homes. One of the most beautiful of the seven villages in the Town of Barnstable, Centerville’s roots go back to the 17th century, when it was called “Chequaquet”, meaning “pleasant harbor,” or “village by the sea” by the local Wampanoag Indians. The area of land that Chequaquet occupied was part of a much larger tract purchased in 1648 from the Wampanoags by Myles Standish for two brass kettles and some fencing.
The early 18th century settlers first built their homes around Lake Wequaquet and took advantage of its fertile soil, fresh water and fish. In the early 19th century Chequaquet experienced dramatic expansion and growth. The first post office was established in 1834 and the village’s name was changed to ‘Centreville.’ The village was aptly named for its central location in the Town of Barnstable; as such, it held an important position in the town, serving as a crossroads and a meeting place.