Yep, I dialed directly into a modem on the far end and used a terminal emulator to navigate the service. A local office supply store had a cork board by the door where people could post events or sell used stuff, and a few BBSs had their info posted there.

The BBS I used actually partnered with the office supply store to sell credits. I would go to the customer service counter and buy a piece of paper with an access code that I could then redeem for hours on the server. That’s how the BBS paid for their hardware and phone lines.