By Jay Langston

Editor

First opening after World War II, the Berlin Store has stood for generations as a reminder that small-community life is alive and well in the northern reaches of Marshall County.

The little store has survived through multiple owners for nearly 70 years, serving its community well. Over the past few months the iconic little store has been re-opened under new ownership after sitting idle for an extended period.

Terry Dunnivant and his wife, Karen Dunnivant, repurchased it from its previous owner and re-opened the store March 28, 2016. Karen first purchased the Berlin Store in 2004 and sold it in 2009 to the person who had originally bought it from the Dunnivants.

The previous owner to the Dunnivants was from Alabama, but the second-time owners "live about a mile down the road" from the store, Karen said. "I've been in the (food service) business all of my life, and I enjoy it."

Stepping back in time to when Karen first owned the Berlin Store between 2004 and 2009, she recounted a brief history. "I'm actually from Giles County and didn't know a soul," she recalled. "My husband and I were dating at the time and he said he always wanted to own it, too. He got me hooked up with the Crabtrees, Harold and Carol Crabtree." Shortly after meeting the Crabtrees, Karen purchased Berlin Store.

Going back in time, Bit Hardison owned Berlin Store for 30 years until he passed away. "My husband told me stories about when he was a boy and coming to Berlin Store," Karen said. "He told me that when he wanted a sandwich that Bit would slice him off a piece of bologna and hand it to him and point him toward a loaf of bread to make his own sandwiches. Everybody just loved Bit. He was really good to people. He owned it for so many years and so many people knew him. He died in 1993 of a heart attack. I think it was closed for a while when the Crabtrees bought it and kept it for 10 years."

The Dunnivants had to do a bit of repair before re-opening. "We had to rip out the floor and put in a new concrete floor," Karen said. "We had to build a new cooler, and we had to buy all new equipment. No maintenance had been done since 2009."

Continuing on their reputation for good food and friendly atmosphere, the couple has built quite a breakfast sandwich clientele with their pork tenderloin biscuits. To give full disclosure, this writer has consumed his fair share over the past eight months. "We usually spend three hours down here every other week fixing them up," Karen said. "We cut them and tenderize them and use our own breading."

"Business has been really good," she said. "The community has been really good to me. They've really supported me this time. So far, I haven't had to dig into my pocket to pay bills. It's supporting itself, but I don't expect to become a millionaire out of it."

Berlin Store's normal hours of operation are Monday through Saturday, 5 a.m. to 3 p.m. They will be open for lunch on Sunday January 15, and a supper Valentine's Day night. The menu next Sunday is pork chops and gravy, with sides of mashed potatoes, green beans, hot or cold slaw, pasta salad and more. The Valentine's supper menu is hamburger steak with baked potato or fries on the side. Throughout the week, "Mondays we have hand-breaded chicken tenders," she said. "Tuesdays is barbecue. Wednesdays is always something different. We're doing meat loaf today and chicken parmesan next week. Thursdays we serve pork chops and gravy, and on Fridays is catfish. On Saturday, we switch up and do something different."

Even though re-opening the Berlin Store feels quite familiar to the Dunnivants, they have noticed some differences. "People don't cook as much as they used to, and that's been good for business," Karen added. "I really appreciate everybody coming in and supporting me and my business."