"The Gold in Georgia Mountains"

BLAIRSVILLE, GA -- Not even thoughts of a less-than-perfect autumn color display could keep them away from eorgia's mountains in October.

They come in search of color -- red, yellow, orange, scarlet, gold, brown or any combination of hues that transform beaks and valleys into nature's own art gallery.

"It gets pretty crazy on weekends," said Bob Clemmons, sitting in a rocking chair at his Sunrise Grocery about 8 miles south of here. But for Clemmons and his wife, Christine, the predominant color associated with the bumper-tobumper traffic on U.S. 129 is green, as foliage-watchers crowd into the Clemmonses' tiny country store to shell out bucks for apples, chestnuts, Indian corn, honey, sorghum syrup and other mountain-produced goods.

For the Clemmonses and scores of other small business owners who constitute the vast majority of the state's highland tourism industry, October makes cash registers jingle like no other month. It gives many merchants the extra profits they need to survive the dismal sales of winter...

By John Harmon/Special to the Journal-Constitution
Saturday, October 6, 1984:
Atlanta Constitution

Honest Abes of Blairsville

The Clemmons family has returned large sums of lost cash to its owners twice in the past few years. Pictured here in their store, Sunrise Grocery, as Jason Clemmons and Christine Clemmons.

A stop for some guava suice at the Sunrise Grocery produced this true story. The store, reputed to be one of the oldest continuously operating grocries in the county, being founded in 1923, is a must-see. Jason Clemmons, twenty-four and tall, is busily selling fishing licenses behind the cash register, but he takes time to grin and brag, "Our store's been written up in your paper and also in Southern Living." Jason's mother, Christine, told me this story. The pride in her sons shone out of her eyes.

It seems that Jason heard a car bump over something in the driveway and when he went to check it out, he found a wallet containing $1,200. Inside was the owner's name, Sam King. Jason called him all day long, but Sam was at his church mowing the lawn. When Sam heard the news, he hurried right over. He was so delighted to have his money back that he offered Jason two-hundred dollars, but Jason refused. Finally Christine said, "At least take one hundred." And he did.

Oddly enough, at one time Sam himself had owned the Sunrise Grocery.

Christine couldn't resisit adding one more surprising coincidence. Her older son, Stephen, found loose money all over the road and in the grass two years ago. When he counted it all up, it was $1,700. But there was no name and no way of contacting whoever had lost it.

Christine adised him not to tell anyone about the fine, so that if someone came asking about it, they would be the real owners. Sure enough, a distraught couple cam in, almost trembling, to ask if anyone had found the money. They said they had just borrowed it from the bank and was on the way to Cleveland to buy a new car and the money disappeared. They were obviously the owners and Stephen gladly turned the money over to them.

So if you're planning on losing your billfold, make sure you do it at the Sunrise Grocery where our mountain Abe Lincolns hang out.

By Delores Kilpatrick/Sentinel Writer
Union Sentinel (published in Union County, Georgia)

Have Paper, Will Travel...on the Delivery Trail

This week we "Take a Step Back in Time" to the family owned and operated store, Sunrise Grocery, located on 5817 Gainesville Hwy, right before Vogel State Park. now you will need more than 10 minutes to really appreciate the Sunrise Grocery, at least a couple of hours, for there are many attributes that this unique and friendly little store holds. Owned and operated by the Clemmons family, Sunrise Grocery has been in business since the 1920's, the Clemmons' family have owned it since the 1980's. Jason, Bob and Christine Clemmons' son, is a fair example of family pride and loves his little store. He boasted that their boiled peanuts made the pages of Southern Living a few summers ago, and that their produce, grown locally, is the freshest around, and be told the tomatoes are the tastiest.

But you truly do step back in time when you pass thru the big Starburst representing the Sunrise over the door. And you really do need more than a few minutes to see, smell and take in all the little store has to offer. Why travel far and wide when you can find almost anything at Sunrise Grocery? That special gift may be right under your nose! There are special sauces for the "Ribs", and fittingly named "Bone Suckin' Sauce", "Bad Byron's Butt Rub" -- good on anything, Old Ray's Gourmet sauces, and gift sets for that chef in your family. There is locally grown and made sourwood honey and Sorghum syrup, red wax mild cheeses, and crackers for that snack, pop in the old fashioned bottles, and eats of all kinds.

For the special gift, say a birthday, there is a wonderful selection of Burt's Bee's ranging from lip balm, hand salve, comfrey ointment soaps, and the starter sets. Burt's Bees is a favorite of mine, being a gardener, they carry a great selection of organic remedies for the tired, worn out hands. There is also "The Good Home Co" selection with linen sprays, laundry fragrances, body lotions, powders and washes, all come in cute old fashioned sugar pourers. Local pottery, hand-fashioned birdhouse, Walden jellies, Watkin's extracts, and Logan Turnpike Mill corn meals, pancake flours and others are available.

While strolling around the store, you may be lucky to listen to one of the many CD's and cassettes they have avilable for your to purchase of Mountain and Appalachian style music, it just adds to the charm.

If you happen to be camping at Vogel State Park, the Sunrise Grocery is just a hop, skip and a jump away, and they carry fishing supplies, as well as all the staples for a good cookout over the open fire, they even sell firewood. And if the weather gets chilly on those camping trips, they have sweatshirts, nightshirts, and t-shirts for you to remember your trip.

And if by chance you never got to see that Black Bear you were hoping to, take a replica stuffed one home, they do look real. And would make a great addition to anyone's bear collection.

I guess I could go on forever, there is so much to see and experience at Sunrise Grocery. They have cookbooks featuring all the Appalachian cooking, whirly-gigs, lawn ornaments, and more.

There are also the Sunrise River Cabins if camping is not your thing, and then you could spend hours wandering around the store, it's so close. The cabins are built in the style of an early settlers home, but with rooms that are extremely comfortable and cozy.

OK, I think my time has come to end this great trip to the Sunrise Grocery, perhaps I rambled on a bit too much, but I wanted you to know that hidden away, down the road from the bustling traffic and commotion of busy Blairsville is a little piece of history ready to grab you back in time, and it's well worth the trip.

Hey, even Country stars visit the Sunrise Grocery, Chad Brock has his signature over the door, and a quote, being he is a local boy from Blairsville, we'll let it slide, "I Really Love My Ordinary Live" taken in context from his big hit, dated 12-27-98 and Jeff Foxworth 9-7-98 "I really Love This Place!"

Hope you get the chance to visit the Sunrise Grocery soon, and remember to pick up a copy of the Union Sentinel, your hometown newspaper, along with a bag of fresh roasted peanuts, what could be finer?

by Debbie Walker/Circulation Manager
Union Sentinel