About

---

Taylortown was never a town. Nor, was it named after the first family to settle in the area. However, it was a general store; and, the rest, is as they say, history.

In the early 1890s, entrepreneur, William Darius Mercer received news that a railroad was finally being built near his lands; specifically, a rail stop 100 yards to the east of his property. To capitalize upon this tremendous boon for a rural territory, W.D. decided to replace the original, poorly conditioned, commissary, warehouse and butcher shop with a larger, more modern depot that included a general store.

When asked by the railroad commission what he wanted to call the rail stop and depot, W.D. Mercer replied, "Call it Taylortown after my good friend, W.F. Taylor." Mr. Taylor owned the wholesale grocery business in Shreveport, Louisiana, which supplied the wares sold in the old commissary and the newly built general store- Taylortown Store.

For over 100 years, Taylortown Store was more than just a place to purchase goods and services. It was the heartbeat of a community- where news was shared, tall tales told, recipes swapped, gossip whispered and, a Saturday night hang out for the young. Five generations of Mercers' have owned and managed Taylortown Store, despite the ravages of two wars, the Great Depression, love and loss. It has stood the test of time and evolved to remain relevant with the turn of each century.

In 2008, the current successor, owner and operator of Taylortown Store, Jim Mercer, began the renovation process, to revive the iconic, community market building to its former glory. Unfortunately, with the proliferation of big box businesses, the demand for a local general store was non-existent. However, in May of 2009, Taylortown Store Reception Hall debuted, newly repurposed, as a unique, charmingly historic event venue. Once again, serving the community, but, this time, as a beautiful, rustic centerpiece for the commemoration and celebration for all types of events.