Lemon Fair-Arthur Long Store

A beloved Sewanee fixture is under new ownership as of June 2021, purchased by realtor and investor Andrea Woodard-Evans and her husband, Scott, a Sewanee graduate, C'98.

THE LEMON FAIR had been owned by the Alvarez-Evans family since the 1970s. A Sewanee resident since 1964, Gay Alvarez was no stranger to the Village.  Alvarez had been in business since 1972, and was the longest running proprietor of a business in Sewanee before her death. Ken Taylor at TAYLOR'S MERCANTILE now holds that honor.  In 1972, Alvarez and Marilyn Powell opened up a needlework shop on Georgia Avenue, the first site of the LEMON FAIR.

“The dean of women at the time, Mary Sue Cushman, said what Sewanee really needed was a needlework shop,” said Alvarez. “Marilyn and I opened up the business with about $500 each. The first LEMON FAIR was in a four-room shotgun style house. The needlework supplies filled up one room.”  Trying to decide what to do with the remainder of the rooms, Alvarez filled another room with her own handmade pottery. “With the needlework, pottery and some kitchen supplies, we had a small business. Then we started noticing that people mostly bought the pottery. Whatever the people buy is the direction in which you should go.” A gift shop with local art began.

The LEMON FAIR transformed into a gallery and gift shop featuring handmade, unusual and magical gifts, including angels.  Throughout the years, Alvarez incorporated other local artists’ works as well. 

In the second half of the 1970s, Alvarez bought the ARTHUR LONG GENERAL MERCHANDISE STORE on University Avenue.  The building originally was erected in 1871 or 1873 for Stewart Montgomery or Fred Fischer.  Mrs. Pamela Sewall lived in it as a residence from 1873 through 1912.  Some of the inhabitants used part of the space for businesses, including J.R. Winn and J.W. Smith. Tom Sherrill leased it from 1926 until 1935.  Arthur Long acquired it in 1935 and had a dry goods store until the late 1970s when he sold it to Gay and Laurence Alvarez. 

Katherine Evans, Gay Alvarez's daughter, took over the shop following her mother's death, but when Covid hit she decided "to spend the time getting the store ready to sell."  And the LEMON FAIR was sold to Cali Partners LLC in 2021.

"We love the charm and artistry that THE LEMON FAIR has always been known for, and this is something we would not dream of changing," Woodard-Evans said.  And Katherine Evans agreed. “For me, this is a continuation of THE LEMON FAIR'S story, just with a new perspective. I think we were lucky to find buyers with an appreciation of the store’s traditions and an eye to the future, and I’m excited to see what happens next.” 

from Bailey Basham's article, Messenger staff writer