Carson’s Store (1900)

The building at 43 Main Street in Noank was built before 1900 as a summer kitchen. In 1918, it was acquired by Jane Carson, who moved it to its current location on Main Street to use as her general store. Carson’s Store, which she first opened in 1907, had two earlier locations before it settled at 43 Main Street: the first was at the foot of Main Street and the second, which had burned down, was at the opposite end of Main Street next to the railroad tracks. Her son, Bernard Carson, later ran the store. He installed a lunch counter and bar stools in 1954. David Blacker acquired the store and restaurant in 1979. The structure had been sitting on the ground, but he added a foundation underneath. There were news stories at the start of 2014 that Carson’s Store had closed, but it is now open again, operated by David Blacker’s son, Andrew Blacker.