Ma Gente's Christmas Supplies

Ma Gente's Christmas Supplies is the largest store in the city of Stone Mountain, Georgia, operating before and after the Great War. Its namesake proprietor is the eccentric ghoul Ma Gente, a motherly figure to those who live in the city.
==Background==
Ma Gente's Christmas Supplies was founded in 2075, after local businesswoman Martha "Ma" Gente purchased the vacant building formerly occupied by department store chain Bernardo's, which went out of business in Stone Mountain the year prior. While Gente was known as a well-off resident of the town, the local government did not expect her to have such a surplus of money that she could purchase the property. The city council, who had purchased the storefront from a developer, were planning to sell the building to Freddy Fear's House of Scares for a sizeable profit, but could not feasibly deny the offer that Gente put on the table. The source of Gente's six-figure wealth was a mystery.Building Sale Document:"WE, the city of Stone Mountain, Georgia, division of the Southeast Commonwealth, hereby confirm the sale of the storefront on 1500 South Founder's Street, formerly occupied by BERNARDO'S, to Martha Gente (private entrepreneuer). This sale is signed and dated July 13, 2075, with City Council members Jay Labat and Cassandra Beck in attendance.Ma Gente: "You kiddin' me? They were plannin' to turn this sum'bitch into a Freddy Fear's. Could you imagine this place full'a skeletons 'n jack'er'lanterns instead'a Christmas trees and Santa's sleigh? Me neither! That's why I bought it with my own cash, yessir."
Gente established the business as a Christmas store due to her love of the holiday.Ma Gente: "I like Christmas. Still do. What more d'ya want from me?" Despite the name, the supply store remained open year-round, with a rotating inventory of mysterious origin. Gente was elected as president of the city's business council by an overwhelming majority in November 2076.Election Results Excerpt:"STONE MOUNTAIN BUSINESS COUNCIL:Winner: Martha Gente (77.01%)Runner-Up: Maria Orwell (21.95%)Second Runner-Up: Tim Warren (1.04%)Election Date: November 3, 2076" However, the store was only in operation for two years when the Great War struck. Due to the size of the building, and many locals of Stone Mountain admiring Gente, the building was used as a refugee shelter. However, the radiation sifting down from Stone Mountain itself rolled into town and ghoulified many, including Gente.
However, Gente was none too dissuaded by the nuclear destruction that had struck nearby Atlanta and the subsequent collapse of society. She defended the storefront from looters in the aftermath of the war. Although she responded with impunity to violence, she invited those who were simply looking for food inside the store, letting them and their families eat Christmas snacks and soups without having to steal. Gente's hospitality and kindness in these dark times made the subsequent nuclear winter of 2077-78 much more manageable for the people of Stone Mountain. She was especially helpful to those who were becoming ghouls like her, as they banded together to quell panic about their physical appearance and condition.
Gente's respected position within the city led those who would be prejudiced against ghouls to set aside their fears, as she continued to lead the community even after the dissolution of the city council. Through all of this, Gente continued to run the Christmas Supplies shop, though with a much more limited supply and a more diversified selection of items, which now included weapons. Gente frequently attaches sleigh bells and gives weapons a red and white or red and green color scheme to make them festive. Many locals attribute Ma Gente for keeping Christmas alive in Stone Mountain, and for many, celebrating it year-round. As one of the few places in Georgia that sees frequent snowfall, Christmas is part of the town's spirit, having turned its sordid pre-War history into something more positive.
Although such positivity and cheer would make the town a natural target for raiders, Stone Mountain's first line of defense is Ma Gente's Christmas Supplies, which gifts the locals the aforementioned festive weapons needed to properly defend the town from hostile threats. The emergence of the Vrachus Cult on the mountain itself, though, is a worrying situation for the locals, and Ma Gente, still a community leader decades later as a ghoul, supports local resistance to the cult.
==Layout==
Ma Gente's Christmas Supplies is a two-story department store. Ma Gente can often be found at the front desk, waiting for customers to bring her items from the well-maintained shelves that line the building. There are a pair of restrooms on both floors, while the second floor features an office area that is often used for community meetings.
Patrolling the store is the Protectron Ullie, who has a unique female voice modulator. She is maintained by another ghoul, the handyman Tyreese Albert. The Protectron Pod is situated in a small closet on the first floor.
==Occupants==
* Ma Gente - owner and main vendor
* Tyreese Albert - repairman
* Ullie - Protectron
==Behind the scenes==
This article was created for the Second Cool Community Writing Competition, which was Christmas-themed, in December 2021.
==References==
Category:Locations
Category:Competitions