When Mr. Dix decided to retire and close the Exchange Store in Halifax, people were brokenhearted because the store had been such a big part of the town for so long.  Tom Shepherd and Ginny Bogart, owners of TAG Promotions and Peddlers Market in South Boston, stepped in and reopened the store, carrying on the traditions that have been in place since the Exchange Store originally opened - in the same location - in 1922.

Traditional exchange stores, carrying hardware, housewares, and groceries, are like walking back in time and many people have never even seen one other than on old TV shows.  Peddlers Market Exchange Store follows this model and seeks to offer hard-to-find items in addition to items that we might need every day.

In addition to Virginia Diner gourmet packaged peanuts, the store also roasts their own peanuts - both in and out of the shell; the peanuts are unsalted, but come with a package of salt for those who prefer it.  Some other Virginia food items they carry are:

• award-winning Checkered Pig bbq sauce, made in Martinsville; 
• Graves Mountain jams and preserves, made in Syria, VA;
• Happy Home flavorings, made in Bedford;
• Red Bird peppermint candy, made in Abingdon, VA;
• local honey, both with and without the comb;
• and First Colony coffees and teas; First Colony, a Norfolk company over 100 years old, imports directly from plantations and grinds and roasts their own beans weekly so the product is always fresh.

Some of the snack items offered are coffee by the cup, fresh doughnuts made daily, fresh fruits, nabs, bulk candy and peanuts.

One of the things we're most excited about is the book exchange; you can buy used books, bring in three of your own books and trade them for another book, or bring in your books and accumulate credits for later use.  The store also has new copies of the complete line of Halifax County Historical Society books.

Hardware offerings range from duct tape to stove pipes, and housewares include items like old-fashioned Octagon soap (which is good for chiggers, ticks, and removing grease & stains), dish cloths, paper towels, toilet paper, tubs and pails.

It's impossible to list everything they offer, but some of the other items include greeting cards, office supplies, antiques, collectibles, wearables (they can embroider & screenprint), tobacco, and Halifax County souvenirs.

Click here for a flyer with coupons for use in the store, and for more information.

Tom and Ginny are keeping a wish list of merchandise to add, so make sure you let them know if there's something you think they should carry - especially hard-to-find items.