During the early 1900s, Gilmer Brothers was a chain of sample stores based in Winston-Salem.

In late 1916, it leased property in Badin and opened the Badin Supply Company. The business, located on Pine Street, included a drug store, meat market, grocery and dry goods store.

In 1919, the business opened a branch store on Roosevelt Street for the black community of Badin.

The Badin Supply Company in West Badin.

In early 1920, the Gilmer Brothers chain was purchased by a much larger company. About the same time the Tallassee Power Company of Badin was able to purchase both local stores, except for the drug store portion, from the company and they renamed the business the Tallassee Store Company.

In March 1925, there was an announcement published in the Albemarle Press newspaper that all goods in the stores would be moved to a temporary location in Albemarle for a “Going Out of Business Sale” and that the stores would be closed.

{Lewis Bramlett – Stanly County Historical Society}