Melvald's General Store or Melvald's was a general store and former diner in downtown Hawkins.[1] The store was run by Donald Melvald and employed Joyce Byers and Jeffrey. The store was located on the street corner, next to the RadioShack.
History[]
1950s[]
In the 50s or earlier, Melvald's opened in Hawkins's town square, with Donald Melvald or another member of the Melvald family acting as its owner. The business initially operated as a diner. In 1959, the teenage Joyce Maldonado was employed there as a waitress.
In March 1959, Jim Hopper met with Joyce at the diner, where he shared with her that he was about to begin basic Army training to fight in the Vietnam War.[1]
1950s-1983[]
At some point, Melvald's relaunched as a general store; the diner had likely faced stiff competition from local rival Benny's Burgers, established in 1956.
In 1973, Joyce was employed at Melvald's once again as a retail clerk, where she would work long hours and on holidays to make ends meet.
In March 1979, Joyce's son Will used crayons he received for his birthday to draw a spaceship he called a "Rainbow Ship". Joyce took the drawing and put it on display at Melvald's; she proudly proclaimed that her son made the drawing, much to Will's embarrassment.[2]
1983[]
On November 7, 1983, Joyce prepared to go to work as usual, but became distracted after discovering that her youngest son was missing. In response, Donald decided to give Joyce some time off. Another employee named Jeffrey covered for her.
On November 8, after her telephone got "fried" during a strange call, Joyce drove out to the store to purchase a replacement. Because she was low on cash, Joyce requested a two weeks advance payment, to which Donald reluctantly agreed. On November 9, she went back to the store in order to buy Christmas lights.
1984[]
On October 30, 1984, Bob visited the store to make out with Joyce in the storage room.
1985[]
After the opening of the Starcourt Mall in 1985, Melvald's General Store, along with many other businesses in downtown Hawkins, suffered from a consistent lack of customers.
Hopper visited the store on Saturday, June 29, to get advice from Joyce on setting some boundaries for Eleven and Mike's relationship. Joyce helped Hopper write a speech for him to memorize and say to the couple. Hopper planned to give the speech, but his impatience towards the two made him end up threatening Mike instead while driving him home.
The next day, Hopper drove to the store again to proudly boast to Joyce that El and Mike would not be seeing each other that day and that their relationship would be more restrained. Afterwards Hopper and Joyce planned a dinner date at Enzo's, though Joyce would fail to keep this date. On his way out, Hopper nearly tripped on some refrigerator magnets on the floor, which had lost their magnetism. Joyce examined the magnets and quickly connected it to an earlier instance where her own refrigerator magnets had lost their magnetism.
1986[]
By 1986, the Store had started advertising itself as a "commercial space for rent".[3]
Staff[]
- Donald Melvald - Shopkeeper
- Joyce Byers - Waitress/retail clerk (formerly)
- Jeffrey - Retail clerk
Behind the scenes[]
A drugstore located at 4 Second Street, in Jackson, Georgia, was used for interior and exterior shots of Melvald's General Store. The location has been remodeled and is now a Papa John's Pizza restaurant.
References
| Cities & Towns | Bloomington • Chicago • Hawkins • Kyrzran • Lenora Hills • New York City • Pittsburgh • Ruth • Salt Lake City |
|---|---|
| States & Regions | |
| Buildings, Local Areas and Facilities | Benny's Burgers • Bradley's Big Buy • Brimborn Steel Works • Enzo's • Family Video • Forest Hills Trailer Park • Fun Fair • Hawk Theater • Hawkins Community Pool • Hawkins High School • Hawkins Junkyard • Hawkins Middle School • Hawkins Memorial Hospital • Hawkins National Laboratory • Hawkins Police Station • The Hawkins Post • Hawkins Town Hall • Hess Farm • Kamchatka Facility • Lenora Hills Airport • Lenora Hills High School • Lenora Junkyard • Lover's Lake • McCorkle farm • Melvald's General Store • Merrill Wright's farm • The Nina Project • Palace Arcade • Pennhurst Mental Hospital • Hawkins Public Library • Roane Hill Cemetery • Rink-O-Mania • Sattler Quarry • Scoops Ahoy • Starcourt Base • Starcourt Mall • Surfer Boy Pizza • The War Zone • Weathertop |
| Homes & Residences | |
| Countries | |
| Upside Down & Miscellaneous | |