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A July 4th Weekend to Remember at The MoonPie® General Store in Charleston, SC

Submitted by: Melanie Lux on Jun 29, 2009 at 6:48 pm Tagged with: Carrie Hassler and Hard Rain, MoonPie General Store, Young Plantations Source: Lux Strategic Communications

If you’re feeling particularly nostalgic this 4th of July weekend, there’s no more “Americana” place to be than the first-ever MoonPie General Store in Charleston, SC, located at 48 N. Market Street, adjacent to the City Market.

On Friday night, July 3rd, the MoonPie General Store welcomes international touring artists, Carrie Hassler and Hard Rain (CHHR; www.carriehasslerandhard rain.com), to Market Street. CHHR is a fast-rising contemporary bluegrass band that was honored with having the number one single on Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine's Top 30 single chart (May) for their song, "I Can Go Back Anytime." CHHR will perform at 7 p.m. in front of the MoonPie General Store, underneath Building B of the City Market, as part of the City Market’s regular weekend Arts Festival.

On Saturday, July 4th from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m., award-winning author David Magee will be signing copies of his non-fiction book, MoonPie: Biography of an Out-Of-This-World Snack, a critically-acclaimed insider’s look at the humble beginnings of Chattanooga Bakery’s 102nd product that eventually grew into what’s now the company’s single brand. Regularly $19.95, signed books will be feature-priced for $10.00 for the 4th only, and will come with a FREE chocolate Mini MoonPie. This hardcover book was called “essential reading” by Library Journal and makes an ideal gift.

The MoonPie General Store offers a variety of unique gifts and authentic “general store” experiences – newly-created logoed merchandise including t-shirts, hats and accessories, Carolina gourmet foods, classic and new toys, MoonPie-themed folk art, general store antique accessories, an old-fashioned soda fountain serving hot dogs, ice cream, sundaes, floats and vintage soda pops, in addition to widescreen TV’s with news stories and up-close footage from the MoonPie factory, and a fun-filled digital photo area complete with an eight-foot moon where families can capture the memory.

Chattanooga Bakery was founded in 1902 as a subsidiary of the Mountain City Flour Mill. A fourth generation, family-owned business, the company made nearly 100 snack cake and cookie items under the Lookout™ trademark, named after the popular residential and tourist community near Chattanooga, Lookout Mountain. In 1917, after a brainstorming conversation between a bakery salesman and some Appalachian coal miners, the MoonPie was born, and by the late 1930’s was the bakery’s #1 seller, a spot it still occupies today.

MoonPies are available in three sizes (Original, Double-Decker® and Mini) and six flavors (Chocolate, Vanilla, Banana, Lemon, Orange & Strawberry). Distribution is national, with particular strength in the Southeast and Southwest. The brand can be found in Grocery, Mass, Club, Drug, Convenience, Vending, Foodservice and a number of specialty retail outlets.