s ervices Village Store John Muirhead , born in 1819, was the first known shopkeeper in North Tryon . The earliest recorded information about the Muirhead store is found in the 1880 Atlas and the 1889-90 Island Directory. The directory lists John as merchant and farmer and Mrs. M. Muirhead as dry goods, milliner, and post mistress. Mrs. Muirhead was most likely Miss Martha Muirhead , John's sister. Martha was later joined by her sister, Phoebe, and together they operated a dry goods store, the post office, and a millinery shop. Sheldon Dixon has the bell that announced customers at the Muirhead sisters' store. A descendent of the Muirhead family recalls a story William Muir ¬ head, a nephew of Martha and Phoebe, told about the family business. The sisters offered the family a discount of one cent off the price of each item purchased. Joe, brother of William, stopped at the store to pick up a piece of slate chalk on his way to school. When he was leaving the store one of his aunts reminded him that he had not paid for his purchase. Joe reminded the aunt that the family had a discount. The selling price of the chalk was one cent! Philip Lord , born in 1840, was operating a grocery store in the community in 1880.3 This store was on the property to the west of the J.F. Lord General Store : Jessie Clarke Bowness being greeted at the door byJ. F. Lord . The horse and carriage most likely were rented by Millie Gamble from MacNeil's Car¬ riage Shop for the journey to the store. Millie Gamble collection. 57