One way to find A&M is to follow your nose. Most often, they keep their door open to the street. People walking by pause and sniff the air. Some smile and keep going, but many are drawn in by the aroma of peanuts roasting in their shells. The store itself is narrow and long, with a counter and display case dividing the space from front to back. The left wall, in front of the counter, was once just a mirror-covered wall, perhaps to make the store look larger. Now it is nearly covered with newspaper clippings and framed magazine articles featuring the business and its treats. And sometimes, there are musicians right outside playing blues or Dixieland jazz.

The display case is full of more than peanuts. There are pecans, cashews, and even sunflower seeds to satisfy everyone's appetite. And, if you have a sweet tooth, there is a wide variety of candy there, too, most of it chocolate and peanut. I usually buy boiled peanuts. They keep them in a cooler but always ask if you'd like them warmed. I have also tried their roasted peanuts and pecans and have never been dissatisfied.

Originally a Planter's store, it was to be closed in 1963. But fortunately for us, an employee purchased the location. The shop was renamed A&M for Alfred and Mary Gibson, the couple who bought the store. They didn't just save a store; they were saving a tradition, part of a generation's heritage, and something good for the people of Mobile. And their daughter, Deborah Gibson DeGuire continued it after them.

In 2018, DeGuire sold the store to local attorney Buzz Jordan, who said in an al.com article that his love of downtown Mobile inspired his interest in the shop. He promised to keep the shop in its present state and let it run as it had for decades, and he has. The shop is not fancy. Posters are worn, and even the soda cans on display have been faded by the powerful Alabama sun.

Could the store look upscale if the latest television renovation team updated the floors, walls, and counters? Sure. And it may happen one day. But, if it does, I hope the roaster keeps working because that's what the heart of the shop is. It is what brings people in and what satisfies customers.

When looking for a church, it isn't the fancy carpet, pews, or light shows that make a building a place for God to dwell. Instead, it is the heart of the matter. Is God kept at the center of all decisions? Is He lifted up and glorified? Are people allowed to be who they are, honest and real in their search for a relationship with the Lord? As members and leaders come and go through the years, is the focus still on God? He's the one who draws people in and satisfies their spirits.

If not, you may want to ask God if you need to be there. Ask Him if there is another place where you can meet. Change can be scary. But you need to be where God is at the heart of the matter. Remember, the best peanuts don't come out of a can, and God should never be kept in a box.