The Simmons - Wright Company

Very glad I stopped by today after finding this spot on Atlas Obscura! This is such an impressive building with a long history. There are many vintage leather shoes and older books upstairs. I came by right at 7:30 so it was too early for me to eat, but they have a good menu you can check out. I ended up just buying a shirt as I’m traveling, but there are crocheted animals and clothes, linens and tea towels upstairs, kitchen goods, tools, and so much more. It was lovely to talk with the shop owner and hear about his garden and the history of this building.

Off the beaten path, local fare. We each had a pimento burger and a side of fried okra. I'm a burger snob and I rarely order them because they lack flavor. This burger was delicious! Even without the pimento cheese, the seasoning was excellent. The owner sat with us and we exchanged stories of travels and family and the aftermath of the recent hurricane. Leave the chains and grab a bite here, browse the antiques and listen to the history...

I'm already putting some money aside for our next visit! They have some truly beautiful antiques. We felt right at home when we walked in because the folks who run the place and those who work there are all genuinely good people. The food was wonderful, and I'm excited to come back and visit again.

Sweet place. Make sure you stop by if you’re near, because you will be transported back in time with all of the very items from way back plus some new stuff too. They do take cards, but bring cash as the machine may or may not work. Card machine didn’t work and I had to leave behind the crochet chicken I wanted, lol.

Odd spot full of a ton of antiques. Owners and staff are very friendly. Food was good, it felt like eating at a friend's house in some ways. Initially, we weren't sure about ordering food at a general store, but it came out hot and was prepared well. A little pricey for what you get, but understandable given current supply prices. I had the patty melt, which was quite good and my wife had the pulled pork sandwich, which she enjoyed. She also said the side of cornbread was good.

I should have turned around and walked out as my gut told me to, but the reviews were good. If you would eat food in a hoarder's home then you will like this place. Everything in this building is old bad garage sale quality junk. I don't have a clue of what the kitchen looks like because it is cooked "out back" as I was told and then brought up to the front. The area for eating is cramped and cluttered with so much stuff there is no way to clean it properly. Sorry, I know this review is awful but so was eating in this building. The food btw was just about as bad.

Great service, atmosphere, and hospitality. Nice place to spend an evening via Harvest Host.

Stopped in on the recommendation of my sister. So happy that we did. The food was great: BLT, fries, and some of the best onion rings EVER! The cook came out to bring us our food. She was so kind and such a happy lady! Sat near the check out. Chatted with the owners. It was a pleasant experience not just a place to eat.

We are so glad we stopped here! They allowed to us overnight in our RV. In the morning we went inside for a home cooked breakfast. The owner chatted with us and kept the fire going to warm us up. It was the friendliest breakfast we've had in a long time! The general store was chock full of the most interesting selection of items! I read about the corn flake cookies, and they had their own coffee beans, so we stocked up on both of those items for the road.

Welcoming place to stop for food & antiques. Handmade soaps too! The couple we met today were very nice. Support small local business when you travel.

Located in Kewanee, Mississippi, The Simmons-Wright Company is like a time-machine as it has operated as a general/mercantile store since 1884. Visiting the store is like stepping into history with so many random pieces from the past inside. There are so many treasures to be found here if you have time to have a look. A box of old postcards was very entertaining. A nice stop on the road if you are in the area!

This is a combination antique/junk store and a restaurant that serves breakfast and lunch. I was a bit confused by their menu offering red beans & rice on a Tuesday instead of the New Orleans traditional Monday but other than that this place was fun. This establishment is between the Mississippi and Alabama border which is a short ride from the interstate to get to. You might want to plan a little more time here than you expect as there are quite a lot of things to look at all over the two levels of the store. You can also eat in this place on the two levels and shop as you dine or just enjoy looking at all the interesting stuff all around you. This place is the authentic version of what Cracker Barrel and lots of other establishments attempt to copy in a very weak way and visiting here will show you exactly what a bad copy the pretenders are.

Tasty, simple lunch. We had fried chicken, field peas, turnip greens and jalapeño cornbread. Reminded me of a meal my grandmother would have made for me decades ago. Came with tea and a dessert. Interesting to walk around and look at all of the items in the old store.

Simmons & Wright is certainly a step back in time. I had this store on my radar to stop and see almost ten years ago. On that trip, we drove up, got out and peered in the window of the screen door, but they were closed for the day. Years later I still had the place bookmarked so we detoured off to stop by. Upon driving up, Mr. R said "hey, we've been here before!" But this time they were open. The store originates from 1884, however there was a fire and it was rebuilt in 1926. While we were parking there was a stray dog watching us. When we got out of the car she took off. Mr. R mentioned it to the lady at the counter when we got inside, and she said that they feed her and everyone calls her Kewanee. I guess several people have tried to take her in but she won't come close enough to let anyone touch her. You're not going to be able to do your week's shopping at Simmons & Wright these days, but you can pick up some vintage items, a few convenience items or a hot breakfast or lunch. During the Great Depression, customers who built up a tab at the store were allowed to pay it off with cotton. Upstairs in the general store were rows and rows of very old women's and children's shoes. Bins of cotton lined one end of the room. We ordered lunch since they had fried chicken and greens on the menu and we hadn't eaten yet. Our meals arrived after about 15 minutes in styrofoam boxes: two chicken legs each, greens and a piece of cornbread. I typically will pass on chicken legs, but these were very good. The dark meat was flavorful and moist, and the breading was seasoned nicely. The greens were OK but I've had some that appealed to me more. While we were paying to leave we threw in a cornflake peanut butter cookie that was available by the register and it was a great treat to end our lunch. If you find yourself crossing the Mississippi Alabama border and need a break, get off the beaten path and poke around the Simmons & Wright store.

Super nice people and super delicious food! I had the BBQ. It was fantastic. I could have spent hours looking at all the antiques and memorabilia. If you're in the area, you must stop by.

Very unique atmosphere. The antiques where incredible! This places captures the Mississippi old country store vibe perfectly. The cheeseburgers where delicious! Exactly the what you would expect from a place like this! The fries could use some work. The place is a step back in time! I recommend you stop and grab a burger and an apple turnover!

This place is an institution. It adds so much to our community. We love living in Kewanee because the people here are wonderful and good people. They serve breakfast and lunch. It's all homemade. Lots of neat antiques to look at. We highly recommend.

What a wonderful experience. If you want gourmet dining stay away. But if your up for a truly different experience and good food make this the place to stop. Gary and Janice who own the S&W Co. along with their world renowned southern cooks will delight you with one meat and two vegetable lunch specials or items off their menu. They will uplift you with their true southern charm in a very old southern way of sitting on hard pine benches at a long pine table with guest from all over. Every one you meet will be your friend before you leave.