The Woolford Store in Woolford, Maryland, has been the hub of this Eastern Shore community since the 1890s. Owner Eddie Bramble grew up in the c-store business. “My father owned numerous c-stores. He bought this store in the early 2000s, and I bought it from him in 2013.”
Customers love Woolford’s snakehead tenders—a local specialty in this Eastern Shore area—and sirloin beef cheesesteaks served up on fresh bread. For breakfast, scrapple is a staple. Eddie Bramble and his wife, Charlotte, and son, Eddie Jr., love the c-store’s community roots.
Customers find a little bit of everything, from snacks to prepared food, at Woolford’s, but the store is also a destination for people who enjoy outdoor sports. “I made quite a few changes over the years. Dad was more into hunting, and I was more into fishing, so I added more tackle,” Bramble said, adding, “In recent years we had an influx of snakehead anglers.”
On the Menu
Movies on the Syfy Channel like “Snakehead Terror” or “Snakehead Swamp” introduced this frightening-looking fish to a wide audience.
“Snakeheads are a highly invasive Asian species that has decimated the perch, bass and other native fish,” Bramble explained. “They were introduced in Maryland in 2002 as exotic pets. People didn’t know how big they grew in aquariums, and they released them into the wild.”
Snakeheads also reproduce at an alarming rate, and just like in the movies, these fish can crawl on land. It’s a nightmareish fish that breathes air and has sharp, dagger-like teeth. There is, however, good news. “They’re delicious,” Bramble said.
“It tastes like bass but without the fishy aftertaste.” A customer favorite is snakehead tenders dipped in cornmeal and spices and deep fried, and then served with fries or on a sub roll.
In particular, mornings are special in the Woolford Store. Since the 1890s, it’s also served as a U.S. Post Office, so starting one’s day here is part of the community DNA.
Bramble and staff arrive early for the breakfast crowd. “We open at six, but we’re there at five. We turn the grill on, we do bacon, scrapple and ham,” Bramble said. “If you serve breakfast and don’t have scrapple, you’re behind the 8-ball—game over. It’s on par with bacon in popularity. It’s served on rolls or bread or toast.”
The store’s cheesesteaks also draw customers. “We use top sirloin beef, put it on the grill, chop it and use provolone cheese, then serve it on sub rolls. We get bread deliveries twice a week, so it’s always fresh,” he added.
Outfitting Anglers
The tackle section at Woolford’s was initially geared to fishing out in the bay, but the store soon began to stock bait for anglers going after the snakeheads.
As more people arrived wanting to fish for snakehead, Bramble realized a store-sponsored fishing tournament would be good for business. “We’re near the water, just outside the Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, and that water is full of snakeheads. There’s no limit; you catch as many as you want,” he said.
In 2019, the store sponsored four tournaments, which drew hundreds of people, and catering to snakehead anglers has helped increase food sales.
Pandemic Impacts
Bramble shared: “We were the first business in the county to offer curbside service. Delivery is not feasible here because we’re a rural area.” At first, the store shut down indoor dining but has since reopened a limited number of seats inside as Maryland eased restrictions. “Most of our customers order to-go. They’re outdoorsmen and take the food to the boat,” he said.
Most of our customers order to-go. They’re outdoorsmen and take the food to the boat.
Breakfast used to be the time for indoor dining, but things have changed. “The crowd still comes, but they don’t hang around.” And when it comes to menu items, Bramble said, “We tried to keep it as close to normal as possible. If there was a price increase [on supplies] we ate the cost, we stayed so busy.”
Keeping prices steady paid off. “Knock on wood,” he said. “We’re still as busy as we can be. One: We were one of the first to go to curbside service. And two: We catered to the outdoorsman. What do people do when they’re not working? They’re fishing. If you’re fishing in our area, you’re gonna stop by our store.”
The Woolford Store is one of those places that holds on to the past, while remaining nimble enough to maneuver through a global pandemic. Whether it’s trappers bringing pelts to the parking lot or connecting with customers on Facebook, this store is positioned for another 130 years of business.
Social Media Strategy
When it comes to competition between the small, individually owned store and the corporate giants, social media is the great equalizer. “The name of the game is content. The more you post, the more people see. The bigger the online presence the better,” said Eddie Bramble, owner of the Woolford Store.
“We took it a step further. I started a side business centered around the outdoors. We do a weekly podcast and share it on the store’s page. I don’t actively promote it in the podcast, but it’s a way to keep the store in people’s ears and faces.”
Bramble recently tried Snapchat. “It didn’t quite work out, but we’re always trying to expand the audience. You have to keep trying,” he said.