Country store series: Moore's Grocery

A country store can be many things to many people – a place to shop, a place for food, a place for rest, a place for remembrance and a place for community. 

But for some folks in Berea, Moore’s Grocery is simply home. 

Owner Elaine Taulbee said there are customers who come to the country store every day until they pass away to eat and gather with other community members. 

One of Taulbee’s fondest memories was of an older gentleman named Maurice Coyle who was in the store every single day at 1 p.m. before he passed away. There is still a picture of him hanging up on the wall. 

Others grew up coming to the store as kids and now bring their own children to make new memories and share old ones. 

“It’s like one big family,” Taulbee said. “That’s another thing about this store, all the little kids adopt me (as) their Nana.” 

That means she knows everyone who comes in and takes them under her wing. Occasionally, new people visiting the area will stop by too. 

“This week someone came in from Texas and said they heard about us,” Taulbee said. “They wanted to come here because (it) had a lot of good reviews and I said well that really meant a lot.”  

She said that business is good, though it isn’t a Dairy Queen or McDonald’s. 

But Moore’s Grocery offers community and a taste of homemade food. For example, real potatoes are smashed to make mashed potatoes and burgers are patted out by hand. 

“I like home cooked food, not brought on food,” Taulbee said. 

Originally from Irvine, she worked in the store since 2000 but became the owner along with her husband Gary in 2007. When asked what her favorite part of the job was, she immediately responded that it was the customers. 

“I’m a bullcrapper and they are too so we have a good time,” Taulbee said with a smile. “We can joke and just whatever and nobody gets mad. We just have a good time.”