Ayers Store – A Main Street Treasure

Ikey and Ednamae Ayers’ Store as it appeared in the 1960s.

Ayers Store was a treasured locale on Main Street for 52 years. Opened by J.I. “Ikey” Ayers and wife Ednamae in 1936, it started in a space half the size and then later expanded into the space next door, formerly occupied by Edna’s brother’s business (C.B. Superette). Located at 53 West Main Street in downtown Brevard, Ayers Store maintained its old-fashioned appearance for decades, despite keeping its inventory up-to-date. They carried everything from clothing to instruments to batteries.

Ayers Store in the 1970s

Ikey Ayers was born in Stewart, VA on January 10, 1910. Raised in Pine Hall, NC, he joined the CCC in the Depression and worked as a mess sergeant with the corps from 1934-1936 at the Pisgah Forest camp. He met his wife Edna, a local girl, and after they married, he went into business with Ayers Store. It was very familiar to him to start his own business because his father and siblings had all started their own businesses too. Active in the First United Methodist Church, Chamber of Commerce, Brevard Lions Club, and Woodmen of the World, he was also the Vice-President of Brevard Housing Authority and Director of the Brevard Federal Savings and Loan Association at times through the years.

Stock photo of an Arcadian Blue Falcon

Some significant events in the life of the store include when a fire damaged much of the building on February 28, 1963. It was extinguished without causing structural damage, but Ikey had to protect himself from loss by holding a fire sale for smoke-damaged items. A more welcome event took place in August 1966 when he won a two-door “Arcadian Blue” Ford Falcon at a Wallace Hardware Company sales convention as part of raffle.

James Isaac “Ikey” Ayers died July 14, 1984 at the age of 74. After his death, he left the store to his deceased wife's sister, Christine Saltz Scott, who continued on the business for at least 4 more years before the store shut its doors in 1988 or 1989 due to competition from big box stores. Many will still remember it as an iconic part of life in Brevard during that time.

Photographs and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina Room, Transylvania County Library. This article was written by Local History Librarian Laura Gardner. For more information, comments, or suggestions, contact NC Room staff at ncroom@transylvaniacounty.org or 828-884-1820.