I had heard from those older than me that Century was once like Mayberry. And if that is so, then this building was the equivalent of Floyd’s barbershop. It was a daily stop for many, as the store had not only customers, but regular visitors, folks who would just drop in to catch up on the latest shenanigans. The small couch in the original building gave way to chairs in the new addition. And for a select few, there was a stool for them behind the counter.

If laughter is the best medicine, then it was dosed out daily from behind the counter.

Even before the wild caged mongoose resided behind the counter, other schemes were hatched. Century was twice invaded, once by international forces and once intergalactic. The former was a Russian submarine that had entered Pensacola Bay, was fired on by the Navy, and then retreated into the depths of the Gulf. A crowd gathered around a radio at the old hospital across the street as the drama played out over the air over the span of several hours. Only later did they learn that it was broadcast from a wireless microphone from behind the counter. Orson Welles would have been proud.

One night in one of the local gravel lakes, a UFO crash-landed and sank just below the surface, attracting the attention of local police and fire departments. It was quite an elaborate setup involving skyrockets and submersed lights. And it was all conceived, you guessed it, behind the counter.

And the list goes on.

Oh, and one last thing, the upstairs is haunted.

Perhaps I am too preoccupied with my speedometer reading and what is in my rearview mirrors to notice it.

It was built in the early to mid-fifties. It repaced a frame building that may be seen here: http://www.algersullivan.org/century_pharmacy.html

It also was a Christian bookstore in the 70s.