Editor's Note: This is the first in a summertime Sunday series on general stores in Southern New Hampshire.

DANVILLE — Need a one-stop shop where you can pick up this week's groceries, some windshield wiper fluid, and satisfy your lunchtime craving? If so, Mayo's Market on Main Street is the place to be.

In addition to convenience store staples, like soda, chips and bags of ice, Mayo's Market offers a wide selection of Red Sox hats, greeting cards, and locally made fudge and honey. They even make a homemade sauce for their pizza, which is served hot out of the oven daily.

But, more important than their wide variety of products and lunch entrees is the gu arantee that almost every customer will be greeted by their first name when they walk through the front door.

"They come in and we know what brand of cigarettes they want, or what sandwich they're going to order for lunch," owner Corinne Mayo said. "It's just more personable."

The store has been in existence since 1967, long before Mayo bought it in December 2002. Before it was a store, the building served as the town post office.

Deputy Town Clerk Christine Tracy said she and six of her female coworkers make a habit of ordering takeout from Mayo's every Wednesday.

"They have the best chicken salad — it's delicious," Tracy said.

But it's not the chicken salad that keeps Tracy and her coworkers coming back for more.

"It's got that old-time atmosphere. The best thing is that everybody knows everybody," Tracy said. "I want my kids to feel this — there's nothing like a small-town feeling."

In addition to a welcoming atmosphere, Mayo tries to reach out to the community as much as possible. Instead of using the store sign for advertising, Mayo's sign serves as the community greeting card.

"Anyone in town can come in, and we'll give them the letters and they can go out there and put up birthday messages, or congratulations for a wedding anniversary and things like that," Mayo said.

When frequent customer Earl Sweet went on the Atkins diet a couple of years ago, Mayo's created the "Earl Sweet Special" — a figure-friendly salad with grilled chicken. Sweet has since abandoned the Atkins diet, but the Earl Sweet Special remains on the menu.

"We're like a family," Mayo said. "We take care of each other."

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