The Bon Marche

A Memory of Saltwood.

My grandparents lived here. My grandmother ran the shop and my grandfather was a carpenter in Hythe. I have very happy memories of sitting behind the big glass fronted cabinet on a stool, taking the customers' money and giving them their greenshield stamps.
I remember a very old fashioned grocery shop near The Bon Marche with wooden floorboards and high shelves with tins on. The cashier was in the middle of the shop in what I always thought of as a cage. I think a Miss Sharp ran this shop.
There was also another village shop overlooking the village green where Nanny and I would go. They sold little Hovis loaves which she would buy when I came to stay.
My grandparents also owned and ran Balgowan. I believe this was after WWII and was a type of boarding house.

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