Separating Fact From Fiction–Rex’s Grocery
Time to separate a bit of fact from fiction.
The main character in my Landow Creek book series started her professional life as a sous chef or line cook in Chicago. Her dream was to open her own tapas bar in the city, but that future changed the moment she inherited a farmhouse in rural Missouri.
Given that background, she naturally gravitated toward grocery stores and had a high standard for buying food. She expected freshness and a plentiful variety. Not only was she sorely disappointed when visiting Rex’s Grocery in Landow Creek, but the employees were suspicious and gossipy. To save herself the humiliation of being the topic of conversation every time she needed groceries, she resorted to driving an hour to Poplar Bluff to shop at Piggly Wiggly.
How much of this experience is based on fact?
First, Rex’s Grocery is from my imagination, although it is based largely on the only grocery store in my hometown, Gene’s Red Fox. Sadly, this grocery went out of business years ago. It was a small grocery, with canned goods, a small fresh produce section, and a lovely meat counter.
Likewise, there is no Piggly Wiggly in Poplar Bluff that I am aware of, although I’ve been told by someone who used to live in the area that one did used to be there. The Piggly Wiggly chain is still in business, and I chose it because of the name. It sounds small town and is so very fun to say.
Are there other fact vs. fiction questions you have about Landow Creek?
P.S. Book 3 in the Landow Creek series is in the works. You can get the first book here:
[convertkit_product product=”123603″ text=”Digital copy of The Inheritance” checkout=”0″ disable_modal_on_mobile=”0″ background_color=”#e86464″]