Southward of the court-house and next to the street stood a building about 40 x 30 ft., used sometimes for a store. Mr. Thoreau kept there. Capt. Daniel Smith kept there. He was a journeyman tanner working for Stephen Wood on the dam. Afterward he opened a store and sold drugs and a great deal of rum, especially by the glass. He treated the rum drinkers freely and was elected captain of the militia company. He made counterfeit money and was sent to state prison on that account.
Luke Robbins used this for harness making and carriage trimming in 1825, and for several years afterward. When the town built the town hall, in 1851, this store was moved away and was made into the dwelling where Madam Keyes lived during her latter years.
There was an open passageway, forty or fifty feet wide, between this store and the green store, as it was usually called. This led to the gravel hill back of these stores. This hill was as steep as gravel would lie.