Hillbilly's Store

The former Sterling's Hillbilly Store has been extensively remodeled into a private home. This was the second location for the business. It moved here in 1945 after a fire destroyed the old grocery store that was up near where the freeway later split the original alignment. The new store on the 4 lane was much bigger and included a garage next door. In the mid 1960s the store doubled as a Texaco station and the garage sold Skelly products, and you could get a burger in the cafe for only 19 cents!. This location on the 4 lane is where the business eventually got the "(Sterling) Hillbilly Store" name.

The business moved again when the freeway opened in the early 1980s. That move took it to a spot by Highway 28 and I-44 just west of Devils Elbow, that was a much bigger store and included a wholesale business as well as retail. One last move saw the business move to a small retail store in Buckhorn, just west of Waynesville.

The refurbished old Hillbilly sign with rotating arms that had lived at the store on the 4 lane and the next store out by the freeway, is now on display at the Mule Trading Post in Rolla, MO. The old Hillbilly got around!

Sterling Wells passed away in 2007.

Photo(s): 2018