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Fruit Stands
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Lyle Atkins of Sperryville has run a stand for more than 50 years. He says he’s not selling anything like he used to. For him, this summer is as bad as the past few have been. “It’s been slow,” he says. “Business doesn’t amount to anything because prices are high. People just aren’t buying like they used to. They’re not even buying apples.”
at his stand, one driver stopped and bought a small basket of peaches for $1.50. “I hate to sell them for that much,” Atkins said, adding that he used to sell an entire bushel of apples for $1. “Things just aren’t the way they used to be.”
Hanging from Atkins’ stand are multi-colored tapestries of Elvis Presley, John Wayne and other noted figures. They used to sell pretty well, but they don’t any more, said Atkins. What does Atkins do during the slow hours? “I just get over here and turn the radio on and listen to it for awhile.”
Can he make ends meet? “As long as you get something to eat and wear, that’s all that’s going to do you any good.”
Bernard and Thelma Jenkins of Sperryville have owned and managed a stand for the past few years. Thelma said in an interview that business is slower this year than last year. “People just don’t act like they want to buy.” And when people do buy “they’re not buying in large quantities.”
The Jenkins grow their own vegetables and buy fruit from local growers. Thelma said this is normally a good time for selling vegetables; the reason they’re not selling, she thinks, is that so many people in the county have their own vegetable gardens. “It was a good spring,” said Thelma. “Nobody needs to buy any.”
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