Buck’s Store Museum

Buck’s Store Museum is a historic general store museum located in the unincorporated community of Bena in lower Gloucester County, Virginia. Formerly known as C.B. Rowe & Son, the general store business that occupied its building closed in 2005. Its conversion to a museum began in 2017 and remains incomplete, but the store has been open to the public as of January 2020.[1] It is operated and maintained by the Guinea Heritage Association, a nonprofit association focused upon preserving the history and culture of the Guinea community.[2]

Buck's Store Museum
Former nameC.B. Rowe & Son (1920-2005)
EstablishedJanuary 2020
Location8850 Guinea Rd, Hayes, Gloucester County, Virginia
TypeGeneral Store
Websitehttp://www.guineaheritage.org/museum/

History

In the 1880s the general store was first constructed and operated by Joseph Hall as the Hall Brothers’ Store. The building was rented out to Clarence Rowe Sr. in 1920 and was operated as a new general store by the name of C.B. Rowe & Son. The general store building and the land it sat on was purchased by Rowe from the Hall family in 1933.[3] In 1947, Rowe was joined by his son, Clarence “Buck” Rowe Jr. as a legal partner of his business.

Following Rowe Sr.’s death in 1960, full ownership of the store passed to his son. Buck would continue to operate the store until his death in 2005.[4] Under the ownership of Buck and his father, the general store served as an important community hub for the residents of Bena and the greater Guinea area. C.B. Rowe & Son also served as Bena's official post office from 1947-1977.[1][5]

Buck Rowe himself was an important figure in the Guinea community during his lifetime, recognized as the "unofficial mayor of Guinea" for his numerous leadership roles, which included his services as owner of C.B. Rowe & Son, Chief of the Abingdon Fire Department, Postmaster of Bena, Financial Secretary of Union Baptist Church, and the 1981 Grand Marshal of the first Annual Guinea Jubilee.[6][7] Buck and his store were prominently featured in the 1996 documentary They Live in Guinea, which he also narrated.[8][9]

Buck made provisions for the store to be converted to a museum following his death and C.B. Rowe & Son's closure in 2005. In 2017, the Guinea Heritage Association and his handpicked trust, the C.B. Rowe, Jr. Memorial & Guinea Museum Foundation began restoring the store.[1] In 2020, the store was opened as a museum commemorating the Guinea community and the history of the southern general store.

Footnotes
  1. Teagle, Peter J. (June 14, 2017). "Restoration of Buck Rowe's Store Moves Ahead". Gloucester-Mathews Gazette-Journal.
  2. "Buck's Store Museum". Guinea Heritage Association. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
  3. "A Driving Tour of Gloucester County's Country Stores and Rural Post Offices". Gloucester County, Virginia. February 1999. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
  4. "Historical Timeline of Buck's Store". Guinea Heritage Association. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
  5. Reif, Erika (September 25, 1997). "Guinea's New Generation: These Gloucester Watermen Have Migrated From Big Island To The Mainland. But at This Week's Guinea Jubilee, They Will Be Reminded Of Their Heritage, Which Dates Back to Colonial Times". The Virginian Pilot. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
  6. Mays, Judy Rowe. C.B. Rowe & Son... Shop on the Corner. Pamphlet. Guinea Heritage Association Files.
  7. "Grand Marshals". Guinea Jubilee. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
  8. Mednick, Jonathan, dir. They Live in Guinea. July 1996. Other Pictures, Inc.
  9. Stradling, Richard (July 10, 1996). "Life in Guinea". Daily Press. Retrieved July 26, 2020.
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