The General Store Cafe News
May 15, 2003
" If I only was the fello"

While walking down a crowded
City street the other day,
I heard a little urchin
To a comrade turn and say,

" Say, Chimney, lemme tell youse,
I'd be happy as a clam
If I only was de feller dat
Me mudder t'inks I am.

She t'inks I am a wonder,
An' she knows her little lad
Could never mix wit 'nuttin'
Dat was ugly, mean or bad.

Oh, lot o'times I sit and t'ink
How nice, 'twould be, gee whiz!
If a feller was de feller
Dat his mudder t'inks he is."

My friends, be yours a life of toil
 or undiluted joy,
You can learn a wholesome lesson
From that small, untutored boy.
Don't aim to be an earthly saint,
With eyes fixed on a star:
Just try to be the fellow that
Your mother thinks you are.
by Will S. Adkin

Happy Birthday To the General Store Cafe!

NEXT WEEK: Kids Nite Out Tuesday Featuring "On Stage, Everyone!"

Mark your calendars for this spectacular event with dramatist, Daryl Farrington Walker! Children from ages 7 and up are invited to play some drama games during Family Night Tuesday on May 20, beginning at 7 p.m. Create imaginary objects, become other characters, make up scenes! Drama games are lots of fun, require no scripts, and offer both silent and talking activities for those who'd like to try a bit of acting.

No experience is necessary. Just bring your imagination, curiosity and your desire for fun! Daryl has taught improv drama in schools for over 20 years. As a staff member of NC A+ Schools Network, she is currently involved in school reform by using integrated arts and thematic units to teach all subjects. Don't miss this special event!

NEW: Come Play Chess at the Store on Thursday Nights!

Attention Avid Chess fans- joins us for dinner on Thursday nights for a game of competitive chess play while enjoying jazz music!

Bring your own chess set, join the gang and pick up a game or two. Contact the Chatham chess clan at http://www.blast.com/chess for more information. Hope to see you there!

Employment at the General Store Café!

General Store Café needs a few more people for various positions and shifts. Come work in a fun and exciting environment! Previous restaurant or cafe experience a big plus.

Please email Joyce at joyce@thegeneralstorecafe.com for an employment form or just come by and talk to us. We are looking for folks that love and care for the place as much as we all do. The Store is a growing, exciting place to work!

First Rate Catering - Brought to You by the General Store Café!

General Store Café now provides delicious, freshly made food for your event! Experienced Chef Daphne Lagasse, formerly of Nomadic Catering Company, will cook up a special meal that your guests will rave about for a very long time.

Catering is available for any occasion - such as breakfast platters, corporate lunch platters, Hors D’ Oeuvres, dinner entrees for casual get togethers and full dinners for formal events. Please contact Daphne by sending an email to catering@thegeneralstorecafe.com for more information

General Store Café Space Available for Rent on Sundays

Want to have a party, retreat, or business meeting, but don’t have the space?

Currently the General Store Café is available to rent on certain Sundays. For more information, please email info@thegeneralstorecafe.com

Were 24 years old! So - next week we’re rollin back prices to that of our Birthday Year (1979)!

The store originally opened its' doors as a natural foods grocery store, then called the Pittsboro General Store, on May 12, 1979 in the Jerome House on the corner of Thompson and Hillsborough, a few blocks north of our current location. Twenty four years later, and quite a few changes, thanks to all of you - we're still here! (Check out the Hello Neighbor section below to learn more about our history)

Wish us a happy birthday and come celebrate with us next week! From Monday May 19th through Wednesday May 21, we are rolling back some prices to resemble those of our founding year - on our dinner entree burrito and quesadilla dishes! Enjoy a Pittsburrito or our world famous Green Chili Burrito for $3.50 AND get a slice of complimentary birthday cake dinner time Monday through Wednesday (this offer does not apply during lunch time)!

Thank you for all your support and here's hoping for at least another 24!

Local Organic Honey Now Available!

Sweeten your summer iced teas with locally produced honey now available for sale at the General Store Cafe. May signals the coming to life of beehives just about everywhere.

Local Beekeeper, John Strickland of The Busy Bee Farm has been selling his honey for the past 23 years and he knows that it is the start of a busy bee season.

The General Store Cafe sells his Grade A honey which is a blend of blackberry, holly, clover and the main source is Tulip Popular. The honey is great for cooking and excellent for table use. It does not spoil; however, it will crystallize. To liquefy it, just pop it into the microwave for a quick 20 seconds and then place it in a container of hot water. A pint jar is $6.95.

Maybe even sample this magnificent honey using this delicious recipe!

Pacific Rim Honey Grilled Fish

  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 1/4 onion, chopped
  • 2 Tablespoons lime juice
  • 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 Tablespoons hoisin sauce
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 whole jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
  • 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger root
  • 1 lb. swordfish steaks (or other firm-fleshed fish)

Directions:
Combine all ingredients except fish; mix well. Marinate fish in honey mixture at least 1 hour in refrigerator. Barbecue or broil fish allowing 10 minutes per inch of thickness or until fish flakes when tested with a fork.

Canoe Raffle Winner - Jerry Van Sant

The lucky winner of the 2003 Haw River Festival Canoe is Jerry Van Sant!

Jerry bought his ticket at the General Store Cafe, and should be coming by sometime this week to collect his grand price!

UPCOMING! General Store Tea Party! Friday, May 23

You are cordially invited to join us for a tea-cup tasting party next week on Friday from 11am to 1pm! Freely sample an array of different, aromatic teas from the fine tea line offerings of The Republic of Tea. The Republic of Tea offers full-leaf tea because it offers a rich taste and is much more diverse in its range of subtle flavors than the cut leaves or tea dust you will find in most tea bags.

These teas are the products of expert cultivation and perfect timing with varied and unique characteristics similar to those of truly interesting wines. Republic of Tea representative, Gary Derrick, will be available to answer any questions. Currently, we offer iced black tea or iced ginger peach tea, as well as many other varieties available for sale in takeout tins, cups, or bodum teapot servings. Gift sets are also available featuring tea canisters with a mug.

Hello Neighbor!

Hello neighbor is the recurring section of the newsletter where we highlight local people, businesses, events and other local items of interest. If you have an event that you want to recommend for this section (a person, business, event or other item of interest) - please email info@thegeneralstorecafe.com

Stewards of a Living Legacy: The General Store Café


From left: two of the current owners -Vance and Joyce,
previous owners Mimi, Beckett and Richard

The store originally opened as a natural foods grocery store (as the Pittsboro General Store) on May 12, 1979, in the Jerome House on the corner of Thompson and Hillsborough, a few blocks north of its present location. It was the brainchild of Elizabeth Anderson and Mimi Pearson. A year and a half later it relocated to a space in the Blair Hotel Building on the traffic circle, where it resided until 1994, and for several years operated as a combination natural foods store and consignment shop.

At a time when natural foods were still an out-of-the-ordinary item for most people; it took some time for the store to capture the interest and trust of the community. The initial emphasis was on bulk food, rice cakes, cheese, and local crafts. People came for specialty items such as herbal teas, medicinal herbs, and the like. To meet the need for lunch items and baked goods, prepared items were brought in from other local vendors since the store had no kitchen at that facility.

In 1988 Mimi became the sole owner. In 1994 she moved the store to its present location, previously a Chevrolet dealership. Within its high ceilings and massive glass facades she created an expansive but inviting atmosphere; and by adding a kitchen and dining room for the cafe she prepared the store to serve lunch for the first time.

In 1999, Mimi retired and sold the store to Richard and Beckett McGough. Richard and Becket changed the store’s name to the General Store Café, and over the course of two years slowly phased out the natural foods grocery element of the store, focusing on the café and catering aspects of the store. Keeping only a few select items that still sold at the café (i.e bread from The Bread Shop), but otherwise the emphasis shifted to dining and entertainment. The two introduced the ever-popular evening music series that continues at the café today.

In April of 2002, Richard and Beckett McGough sold the café to the current owners comprised of six people including two couples; Vance and Joyce Remick of Pittsboro, Alyson Schoendorf and Bjorn Book-Larsson of Carrboro (currently in Los Angeles, California), Farzin Barazandeh of Chapel Hill and Roya Monadjemi of Chapel Hill.

In the short year, the current owners have run the store there have been several changes including expanding the store menu, extending store hours (now offering dinner throughout the week + breakfast on Saturdays), offering retail items, changing the format of the weekly newsletters (making this newsletter more of a community bulletin), slowly re-introducing local grocery items (such as the honey and breads), act as a stong local outlet for the arts and artists, and finally expanding our evening entertainment to almost cover the entire week from Tuesday through Saturday. Throughout all these changes, the central mission of the store remains clear; we want to provide whole foods dining, quality entertainment and act as place in the community where people can meet and share ideas.

With a loyal customer base that has grown throughout the years, the Store has become a vital component of the Pittsboro community and has become a stage for the best of Chatham County's arts and music.

This Week's SPECIAL EVENING MENU !

Special Items, Thursday through Friday Nights

DINNER SPECIALS (served with in-season vegetables)
  • Pork Sancocho - Caribbean Stew
  • Vegetable Ratatouille - served over Pasta with fresh Romano Cheese
  • Shrimp & Mango Curry - served over Basmati Rice
  • Jerk Chicken - served with Tropical Salsa and Sweet Potatoes.
APPETIZER SPECIALS
  • Asian Chicken Potstickers with Spicy Dipping Sauce
and - our regular items, such as Burritos and Quesadillias and more in-store specials of the day that will be displayed on our regular board!

This Week's EVENING ENTERTAINMENT!

Thursday, May 15 - Jazz Evening

Scott Warner, Mahlon Hoard, Nic Slaton & Iaaji Hampden

Friday, May 16- David Childers (rock, bluegrass)

David Childers is a burly man with a burly twang that immediately distances himself from his sensitive contemporaries. More importantly, he writes good burly songs. His sound is kind of heartland rock with a bluegrass sensibility. The songs are of tough towns, tough love and tough travel and they are heavy with the weight of experience.

Saturday, May 17- Tommy Edwards & Friends (bluegrass)

Tommy Edwards and his good friends Keith Thomas and Alice Zincone enjoy lots of different kinds of music. Their repertoire features selections from several musical styles including folk, country, bluegrass, swing and blues. Talented soloists and harmony singers, they are also extremely proficient instrumentalists.

Keith is an award-winning guitarist and fiddler who is also a fine mandolinist. Tommy Edwards was twice named World Champion Bluegrass Guitarist, and Alice has played bass with several regional bands. Since deciding to perform together, Tommy, Keith and Alice have worked to accomplish three main goals. The first is to select material that is both meaningful and entertaining. The second is to make optimum use of their voices, either solo or in combination, so as to share the joy that they have in performing the music for their audiences. So whatever your musical taste, if you like great harmony singing with well played acoustic string instrument accompaniment (and a bit of humor mixed in) you’ll enjoy a performance by Tommy Edwards and Friends.

C.A.R.E Orphan(s) of the Week

The Chatham Animal Rescue & Education (C.A.R.E), is an all volunteer, non-profit humane society that promotes respect and understanding for all animals, acts as a community resource for animal issues, and provides quality care for rescued animals in a foster home network. For more information, please visit www.chathamanimalrescue.org or call 542-5757.

Meet... Buddy

This handsome German Shepherd/Terrier mix would love to be your special Buddy! He is happy, fun-loving, and always wears a smile. He is about 1 year old and is approaching his expected adult size of about 65 lbs. Buddy is very affectionate, and adores his humans. He is completely housetrained, and loves sleeping in his foster parents' bedroom. His indoor manners are quite good, and
he'd be the perfect companion to share your home. He gets along well with familiar dogs, but is sometimes fearful of dogs he doesn't know. Buddy would
probably do well with cats, too. He has been neutered, and is ready to go to his new family and his forever home. For adoption, contact Chatham Animal Rescue & Education at www.chathamanimalrescue.org or call 542-5757.

Chatham Shelter Spotlight (on behalf of the Chatham County Animal Shelter)
Featuring... Shellie

Shellie, a Shepherd/Rottie mix, was so tiny that she was placed in the cat kennel at the Chatham County Animal Shelter for safe keeping. Now nearly 3 months old, Shellie has fattened up and has become quite the object of attention. She only wants to be with people and be loved. She is very cuddly and playful, and is working on potty training. She has been vaccinated and dewormed. Come take her home today! Contact the Chatham County Animal Shelter at 542-7203.

Chatham and Orange May Events Calendar!

This is a new section of the newsletter where we highlight some of the many upcoming events in Chatham (and some in Orange) in February. Check out What's Happening! If you have an upcoming event you want us to highlight in this newsletter, please email info@thegeneralstorecafe.com . Please title and date your event. All entries must have no more than 200 words. Do not submit attachments. All entries are left to the discretion of the GSC to edit as necessary.

April 11 - June 6 Art Exhibit by Central Carolina Community College students

The Friends of the Pittsboro Memorial Library present an exhibit by the students of Doris Dunlap, in the Reeves Auditorium at the Pittsboro Memorial Library. Doris Dunlap is an art instructor at Central Carolina Community College in Pittsboro.

The exhibit will include realism, still life, abstract, and impressionism art. Artists exhibiting are: Sally Bird, Anne Bodner, Betty deSherbinn, Edee Gazda, Marian Glick, Tussey Marble, Jeffrey Payne, Gloria Preminger, Naomi Putney, and Linda Skuns.

The Reeves Auditorium is open during regular library hours, Monday, 2pm to 6pm; Tuesday, 9am to 8pm; Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday, 10am to 6pm and Saturday, 9am to 5pm.

This exhibit is free and open to the public. 158 West Street. Please call the library at 542-3524 for more information.

Thursday, May 15 - Book Reading by Emily Herring Wilson (7:30pm)

The Friends of Pittsboro Memorial Library will present Emily Herring Wilson in the Reeves Auditorium. She will read from and talk about her current book, Two Gardeners: Katharine S. White and Elizabeth Lawrence -- A Friendship in Letters. The book will be available for purchase and signing. The program, rescheduled due to February weather, is free and open to the public.

Friday, May 16- Drum Circle Way to Healing Body, Mind and Spirit (7:00pm)

All Gatherings at One Spirit are for you! We ask that you remember that this is a Sacred Circle where a blending of energies occur. To this point, we ask that you leave any distractions (i.e.. pets, children, worries, reluctant others, etc) at home. Join us in creating a gathering that is fun, fulfilling, and powerful for us all. Contact Libby Ann Capaldi for more information: 919-542-7307

Fri-Sat. May 16-17 - 2nd Annual American Cancer Society Relay for Life

No walking, jogging, or running required. This is a family-fun, carnival-like public event. Entry is FREE! We just need your support with helping to fight for a cure. Children activities and games, clowns and magic shows, hot air balloon, haircuts and massages, car show, and great food. Northwood High School - Highway 15-501. Friday, May 16th 6 pm - Saturday, May 17th 11 am. For more information go to www.pittsbororelayforlife.org

May 17, 18, 23, 24, 25, 26, 31- 7 Days in May of Architectural Antique Show

Architectural Antique show featuring the collection of The Last Unicorn, specializing in wrought iron home and garden artifacts. 10am - 5pm each day. 536 Edwards Ridge Road, Chapel Hill, NC 27517. Call 919-968-8440 or visit http://www.thelastunicorn.com/ for more information.

Saturday, May 17 - Siler City Chicken Festival

Live music, food, games, crafts, golf tournament, street fair and more. Free. 9am to 4pm. 1609 East 11th St, US Hwy 64, Siler City, NC 27344 For more info, call 919.742.3333 or email ccucc@centernet.net http://www.ccucc.net/

Saturday, May 17- Green Bulding Design and Construction for Homes

Barriers to implementation of green building methods include a lack of real world experience in design techniques, material choices, cost considerations, construction methods and performance results. Paul Konove of Carolina Country Builders and Alicia Ravetto, AIA-Architect have experience in these issues in the Triangle region and the capability to communicate clearly to the public and professionals. Information will include existing dwellings and new residences.

Full day seminar costs $150 per person - $250 per couple (lunch included) NCSEA and Weaver Street Market members receive a 10% discount. For information, registration, and directions http://greenhomedesignbuild.com/seminar/ or call 919-542-5361

Sunday, May 18- Benefit House Concert for Chatham County Together! (4:00pm- 8:00pm)

You can enjoy live old timey music, share a home-cooked meal with friends, and make a difference for local youths in need by attending a benefit house concert Sunday May 18. Ann and Max Drake, and friends Tim and Brenda Currin, will play fiddle and banjo music and feed you supper at the Drakes’ Chatham County home, from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m.

Tickets are $20 per person and all proceeds will benefit Chatham County Together!, which provides one-on-one mentoring and tutoring, as well as group activities, for local youths. For tickets and directions, call or email Chatham County Together at 542-5155, cct@emji.net.

Sunday, May 18- Siler City Municipal Airport Fly-In

Pilots fly their planes into the Siler City Municipal Airport to celebrate North Carolina's Centennial Celebration of Flight. Children will be able to take a flight up and earn their "Young Eagle Wings," and receive a certificate. Arts and crafts displays, music, food.

Tickets - $12 per person or $24 for family (two or more). Siler City Municipal Airport, 1595 Airport Road, Siler City, NC 27344. Call 919-742-3847 or 919-542-0394 for more information.

How are we doing?

The General Store Café appreciates any feedback, suggestions or comments you may have as to how we can fulfill your expectations. Email suggestions to info@thegeneralstorecafe.com . Your comments are important, please allow 24-48 hours to receive a response.

The final word!

BREAKFAST, LUNCH, DELI & DINNER:
The café is open Monday - Wednesday 7:30 am - 9:00 pm (breakfast 7:30am - 11:00am, lunch 11:30 am - 3:00 pm, deli items 3:00pm - 6:00pm, dinner 6:00pm - 9:00pm), Thursday and Friday 7:30am - 10:30pm and on Saturday 8:00 am - 10:30 pm.

DINNER & MUSIC :
Thursday - Saturday we have live music from 8:00 pm - 10:00 pm to go with your dinner!

How to get here: 39 W Street, Pittsboro is next to the downtown traffic circle, just across from the Pittsboro courthouse. Phone: (919) 542-2432

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