The greyer the beard, the longer the memory, and in this case, memory will fondly take in the congenial confusion of tins, bags, cartons and the lamp oil-lavender-tobacco-and-soap symphony of smells. For the young it may be an anachronism, but for other this mixture of sights and sounds conjures up only one thing – The General Dealer’s Store. On entering, the pungent aroma of dried fish, spices, tobacco and leather takes you by surprise.
Uncle Samie’s General Store, better known as Oom Samie se Winkel in the historic Dorp Street of Stellenbosch is such a place. It was established in 1904 and is presently celebrating its 110th anniversary.
This well-known Victorian-era general dealer was one of the first trading stores, and today, claimed the longest existing uninterrupted trading store in Stellenbosch, a working National Monument, offering all sorts of bric-a-brac and delightful foods and products.
History
The building stands on a portion of the land which was granted to Pieter Gerhard Wium in 1791. With his brother Eduard and his father Pieter, he acquired a concession to supply the community with meat; this they did for more than 60 years. Through the 19th century the premises passed through successive hands, until it was sub-divided in 1876, and the portion on which Uncle Samie’s General Store stands today, was sold to Johannes Christoffel Heyneke. On 19 May 1904 Samuel Johannes Volsteedt bought the premises for £1 000.00 from Heyneke for his son, Samie who suffered of a weak back, and was not able to take on the hard physical workday of a farmer.
According to Uncle Samie’s family, it was already a shop at that time. Uncle Samie traded as S.J.Volsteedt, General Dealer. In the “fifties” the name changed to XL Trading, XL Stores, and XL Supply Store. Even 30 years after Uncle Samie’s death, the business continued to be known as Uncle Samie’s General Store. Just as special as the store is today, it was in days of yesteryear. Today’s Uncle Samie’s General Store trades in much the same way as it did back then.
Uncle Samie’s General Store became the first general dealer to implement delivery of goods on a three-wheel delivery bicycle. Apart from the general supplies there were also fresh goods like eggs, cheese, butter, bread, preserves on sale. Sweets were kept in glass jars near the counter, everyone remembers the rolls of tobacco, customers brought their own snuff tins to be filled and one could buy sticks of cinnamon and even a single length of cotton. Credit was “on the slate,” payable by the week or by the month.
Who was Uncle Samie?
Samie was born on 27 May 1879 on a farm near Faure. As a child he developed a weak back, something akin to a hunchback. He customarily wore a pair of fine, gold-rimmed spectacles and dressed neatly in a tie and waistcoat, even in the store. He was distinguished by his sharp nose and fine hair, which with time became snow white.
It was Uncle Samie’s gentle and caring nature that has survived the decades and is characterised in the simple inscription on his grave: “He was a good man.” Uncle Samie was apparently well-loved due to his kindheartedness and generosity. He simply never collected debt on the store slate from customers that fallen on hard times, he even raised and educated a family member whose parents were killed in an accident. He liked to tease, especially the children – in his unhurried way.
Other people in Uncle Samie’s life was Lallie who helped out at the store while his nephew Floors was a match for Uncle Samie when it came to baking. Floors is said to have a cripple foot and he was short, while Uncle Samie with his sharp features looked event taller than he was. Imagine the two together behind the counter! When Uncle Samie grew old Floors came to help out in the store and later inherited the store, when Uncle Samie died on 27 June 1944.
H-Homestyle Eatery
Two great loves of Uncle Samie’s life were animals and baking. He was a master baker and his nephew speaks even today of his sugar loaf, koeksisters, bread puddings, sago pudding and orange cake. In the back yard he kept chickens, of which he was very fond. Today this area is home to H-Homestyle Eatery, neatly revamped to meet the need of tourists, and serve them traditional hearty meals.
It is Hans Zerwick who set out to create a place that feels like home, where friends and family can reconnect over fresh, hearty meals prepared with passion, attention and love — a place where one is reminded of the kitchens of our mothers and grandmothers, filled with the aroma of fresh, homemade food. H is home-style, H is home, H is Hans’ Hope that you will share and enjoy his passion.
It is the historical significance that prompted Annatjie Melck to purchase the store in 1981, and made the praiseworthy decision to re-establish it as a general dealer’s store. She immediately re-named it Uncle Samie’s General Store. For the past 33 years Annatjie shaped Uncle Samie’s General Store into a working museum.
Visit the store to find old fashioned sticky toffees, boiled sweets, collectible books, vintage clothing and authentic old butter churns. You might even walk out armed with a rare antique along with your purchases of fruit, vegetables, wine, biltong and bokkoms, or even enjoy a scrumptious meal at H-Homestyle Eatery.
Uncle Samie’s General Store represents an aspect of heritage that has disappeared with the arrival of modern department stores and supermarkets, especially in the larger towns. That is why it is so important that the business should survive as an authentic commercial undertaking, and remain a living museum, built on initiative and the labour of love.
For more information contact Uncle Samie’s General Store at 021 887 0797 or e-mail [email protected]
Contact H-Homestyle Eatery at 021 8828316 or visit www.h-eatery.com