One day my sister calls me up and says, “Do you know what a tote-sum store is?”
I say, “Duh, it’s like a 7-11.”
“Shawn has never heard of a tote-sum!” She never ceases to be amazed that her husband is neither A. a Southerner or B. a democrat. But I digress…
Upon researching this post, I was surprised to discover that most folks outside of the Jackson, MS, area likely haven’t heard of a tote-sum either. Seems that there was once a small chain of actual “Tote-sum” stores, whose name was so catchy that it quickly became synonymous with any local convenience store.
These days across the South, tote-sum stores are quickly being usurped by big name gas stations that have joined forces with Domino’s, Taco Bell, and the like. So now you can get gas and, um, gas at the same place. But back in the day, you’d find all kinds of food-like substances at the local convenience store: Icees, fried chicken, boiled peanuts, donuts, and the ever-popular “tater logs.”
Sure, maybe the restrooms at those chain places are a little less frightening. Perhaps the shelves are dusted a little more regularly. Maybe the dairy products are rotated a little more frequently, but I still have a soft spot for a good, old-fashioned tote-sum store.
When I was growing up, my sister and I would walk up to Bernie’s where we could get chips, candy, and bottled Cokes just for signing our names on a slip of paper. It was a perilous journey (maybe a mile in the summer heat along a road without sidewalks. Uphill. Both ways.) but that just made the snacks that much more tasty.
Eventually, the credit system was replaced by an actual cash register (or maybe Dad put the kibosh on our too-frequent charges), but still we’d save up quarters and waste countless afternoons playing Ms. Pac Man.
About a year ago, one of those slick new gas/fast food joints popped up about a block from my childhood home. I haven’t been in there, so I can’t say what it’s like. But there aren’t any old men out front playing dominoes, so that’s probably a bad sign.
I can still hear my Daddy saying, “Carry me down to the Tote-Sum so we can get some cold co-colas.” I think I spent a part of every afternoon in high school in Jackson stopping by the Tote Sum and getting an Icee. My favorite story: My stepsister stopped at the Tote Sum at Maywood Mart one hot summer day and left the car running so the air conditioning would keep the car cool, while she just ran it to get an Icee. When she came back, she saw her car driving off without her. Never did find it.
marianne, thanks for your comment!
my sister and i got many an after-school icee at an off-brand tote-sum. my favorite was coke mixed with whatever other flavor they had. it was the hip thing then. boy how times have changed!
the story of your step-sister’s runaway car is hilarious! probably not to her, but still.
my favorite story of that ilk was when one of my sister’s friends was driving by the local jitney jungle and noticed a makeshift carnival complete with funnel cake stand. (we refer to those carnivals as “the jitney state fair.”) she wheeled into the parking lot, threw the car in park (not exactly in a parking space), and ran over to the funnel cake stand without even bothering to close the door of her car. fortunately, nothing bad happened. unless you count her consumption of the funnel cake, which, for the record, i do not.
My cousin and I would collect pop bottles to return for the deposit and spend the money on push-ups at the Tote-Sum up the street from Mammo’s house.
I haven’t had a push-up in far too many years. I’ll have to check and see if they sell them at the 7-11.
I worked in Tote-Sum #2 (there were seven at the time in Jackson (1960).)The job was titled “school boy” and I worked for a year. Started at 35 cents/hour and made 50 cents an hour when I “retired.”
The ice didn’t come in plastic bags. It came after I crushed it in the ice crusher and loaded it in reinforced paper bags. I put up all returnable bottles (no throwaways) and swept, put up stock…I definitely earned my wages.
I am mentioning Tote-Sum stores in my next novel.
Paul H. Yarbrough
Tote-Sum Stores were only in Jackson, MS and were owned by Stewart Barry and I guess were the for runners to the 7-11 and pac-a-sacks and my favorite name was south of Jackson,,,, The Hill Top Stop-A-Lot
Love the name “Hill Top Stop-A-Lot.” In the Florence/Richland area, there was/is? a chain called Bridges Quickie. Where I spent many a dollar on snacks after school…
Thanks for sharing your memories, Paul. Love that they gave you the title “school boy” and that you managed to get such a hefty raise during your career there!