TODDVILLE, Md. - 'Elijah's General Store' has become the first convenience store serving several communities in Southern Dorchester County in a number of years.
Prior to the store's opening late last year, residents had to drive roughly 40 minutes just for a loaf of bread or a carton of milk. But the store is so much more than a convenience, it's a central meeting point for people in these sparsely populated communities, from Crapo to Crocheron.
"For a lot, especially the elderly residents, it's really made it so they can still live down here as they've told me," said owner David Beverley.
He may be a "come here" not a "from here" to this part of Dorchester County, but he's quickly gained the respect and admiration of the people of this area.
"There's a little bit of excitement as they say, to bring some life back to an area that's lost a lot of activity economically. It's a beautiful landscape nature wise, but economically, just driving around, you can tell it's struggling right now," Beverley said.
Michael Ryan lives in Toddville, and says the store means so much to so many.
"Before David opened the store, you had to go to Cambridge for almost anything. You could go to Hooper's Island but that's just as far as Cambridge. So you might make a trip to the grocery store once a week, but if there's anything you need in between, you'd have to drive 25 miles to buy something," Ryan said.
And Beverley isn't done.
"We have plans to expand and get gas and stuff like that. Just basically add more grocery products, we're going to add a cold kitchen in the back," he said.
The name 'Elijah's' is an ode to Beverley's toddler son, who is a regular face for patrons at the store.