ALDERSON W.Va. (Hinton News) – In June of 2023, CNN visited Alderson, West Virginia, to begin filming a documentary about Martha Stewart, and her time spent in the federal prison there. The project is called “The Many Lives of Martha Stewart,” a four-part CNN Original Series that will air over two consecutive weekends, launching with two episodes on Sunday, Jan. 28 at 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. ET/PT on CNN. The final two episodes will air on Feb. 4 at 9 p.m. and 10 p.m. ET/PT. Sarah Alderson, fourth-generation owner of Alderson’s Store, will be featured in the series.
A few words from the CNN press release are as follows: “At a time when women were finding the courage to leave their domestic roles to seek careers in male-dominated fields, Martha built her empire in the home, redefining what it meant to be a feminist in the modern era,” said Amy Entelis, executive vice president of talent and content development for CNN Worldwide. “Whether you love her or hate her, we are betting audiences will continue to be fascinated by The Many Lives of Martha Stewart.”
“The Many Lives of Martha Stewart is executive produced by Eric Johnson. Amy Entelis and Katie Hinman are executive producers for CNN Studios. Senior producers for the series are Ashley Santoro, Emily Taguchi, and Asaf Kastner. Kinga Janik is the director of production.”
“The Many Lives of Martha Stewart will stream live for pay TV subscribers via CNN.com, CNN-connected TV, and mobile apps on Sunday, Jan. 28. The first two episodes will also be available on demand beginning Monday, Jan. 29 to pay TV subscribers via CNN.com, CNN-connected TV and mobile apps, and Cable Operator Platforms.”
Sarah Alderson will be featured in interview style in the mini-series, as she regales tales from her mother, Betty Alderson, and the deep history of their town and store. Her mother’s stories were of interest to Alice Yu, producer of the series, prompting her to stop in the store where she met Sarah Alderson. Betty Alderson immediately went viral after the initial interview, landing her spots on TV shows like The Tonight Show, morning shows, news outlets across America and articles in The Associated Press. Sarah was happy to entertain and supply help to the media team, who showed up a week early before filming, which had Alderson buzzing with tourists and business. Sarah was then prompted to make T-shirts for the deluge of visitors, with one saying, “West Virginia. It’s a great place to spend time!” Many of Martha’s friends and family were in town to visit her, and Martha told them to “go visit Alderson’s Store,” sign the guest book, buy t-shirts and enjoy the timeless, beautiful town. A few years ago, Sarah received a phone call from Martha herself, desperately seeking the ceramics person who held classes at the prison, in which Martha made a nativity scene that is now part of her sales line. Sarah is overjoyed to be featured in the mini-series and is readying her store for another wash of tourists and visitors after it airs.
You may visit Alderson’s Store at 320 Monroe Street South P.O. Box 239, Alderson, WV.
For more information about the store, call 304-445-2851 or email aldersonsstore@gmail.com. You can also find them on Facebook.
