Life Took the Back Roads. So Did I.
My name is H. J. “Ted” Gresham, and I am the owner of Back Roads Mercantile.
I am an East Texas writer, designer, woodworker, collector of useful old things, and lifelong traveler of roads that rarely went where I expected. Some people build their lives by following one clear path. My life has traveled side roads, detours, wrong turns, fresh starts, and more than a few occasions when I had absolutely no idea what I was doing.
Those were the interesting parts. 🤦♂️
I began working at fifteen, riding my bicycle to Curry’s Grocery near my home outside Lufkin. Since then I have worked behind store counters, repaired air conditioners, helped electricians, cooked pizzas, announced radio programs, taught adult education, worked as a government caseworker, driven tractor-trailers across much of the country, delivered newspapers, cared for children, served as a stay-at-home parent and foster parent, and driven passengers through Houston for Uber and Lyft. These were only my day jobs. ☺️
Somewhere in the middle of all that I earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in history. I also served in the United States Air Force, attended several colleges and technical schools, raised a family, wrote books, made plenty of mistakes, and collected enough stories to fill a website.💻
Through every job and every stage of life writing remained the one constant. I began on a manual typewriter, moved on to an early computer with an amber monitor and floppy disks, and went through over a dozen assorted computers. I have written novels, short stories, essays, articles, memoirs, puzzle books, historical material, and whatever else happened to get stuck in my head.
Shortly before I turned 60, medical negligence put me in the hospital for three and a half months. When I was released, I was completely disabled and told I would not improve much—or live another year. I refused to accept that. Over time, I learned to walk and get around again. I am still here, still alive, and still beating the odds, though not without a few lingering problems.🤒
It’s been six years. I am still here. I have not given up. In fact, I push myself to do better and accomplish more. That is why I have created my new business Back Roads Mercantile.
Back Roads Mercantile is all my doing. Well, my wife and I. I wanted to bring together the things I still enjoy doing: writing and publishing, creating Texas designs, developing books and booklets, working in my shop, finding useful or unusual items, and making things that might bring somebody a little enjoyment.
Back Roads Mercantile does not have a giant warehouse. It’s not part of a faceless corporation or a store run by uninterested managers from some company boardroom. Back Roads Mercantile is a small, personal East Texas business. Most of the products are my own work. Books and booklets are written or published by me. In order to ensure customers get top quality, I have some products made by a third party with better equipment. Either way, there’s lots of practical, interesting, collectible, or just nifty things you will want for yourself.
Texas is far from a perfect place but I’m still proud to be a native Texan. You will find Texas pride here. It’s not the polished tourist-shop version, however. This is the Texas of pine trees, old highways, small towns, funny animals, local history, garage sales, workshops, weathered boards, long memories, and people who know that the back road is often more interesting than the interstate.
There’s something else. I believe useful things should be affordable. My financial situation has always been tighter than Scrooge McDuck’s vault. Everything on Back Roads Mercantile is priced as low as possible. Who can afford a $30 T-shirt?! In fact, if you’re a bit low on dough shoot me a message, I can deal.
There’s more. I believe small businesses should treat customers like people. I believe old stories are worth preserving, humor is necessary for survival, and something does not have to be fancy or expensive to be worth owning.🛒
Most of all, I believe there is still a place for a business with a real person behind it. In this case, the person is me.
Finally, like I said, when you visit Back Roads Mercantile you are not dealing with a distant company or an automated warehouse. You are dealing with me—Ted—the fellow who designed the picture, wrote the book, found the item, answered the message, packed the order or at least knows exactly where it came from and will always make sure you are satisfied.
Thanks for stopping by and taking a look around. I hope you find something useful, something interesting, or something that simply makes you smile. I hope you’ll buy something, too!👍😁
H. J. “Ted” Gresham
Owner, Back Roads Mercantile
Lufkin, Texas
Contact Me
Phone: 936-414-9804
Address: 997 FM 2680, Lufkin, TX 75904
