This is a compliation of all the traffic, both here and in emails, about stores. I never realized it before, but there was a ton of stores in town. Most were the little neighborhood grocery stores.
First I remember the White Store in town and the Stop and Shop in West End. Then later they built the IGA across the river, and for a time there was a Cas Walker store going into Lenior City. There was also the IGA in Philadelphia.
Now for the little ones. Hill Lomax was in town, right beside the bridge. Going out of town toward Piney, there was Mrs. White's on Greesy Corner and then Bill Akins' store across the street from where Lewis's Grocery was for so long. Further up the hill was Carl Giles' store on top of the hill. On out toward Piney was Simpson's and then Dutton's on down by Jackson. There was another store on the curve where the road into Piney cut off 72, but I can't remember the name, and there was another small store on Steekee Road, almost to the turnoff to Steekee school and I can't remember the name of that one either.
Also in town, Mr. Lawhorn used to have a tiny store just across the tracks from the Junior High School. He used to sell cigarettes for 2 cents a piece. On Ferry Street, out near the old Grammar School, Julian's had a store. Jean's folks I think. In West End was Cathcart's(?) on the corner of 11 and Highland Avenue. Further up Highland was Vair's Store on the corner of Summer Street. Then down 72 from the Junior High School was Rose's, run by John's folks. (I'm running out of grocery stores here, so somebody's going to have to help me out.) If produce places count here there was Ridenor's on 11 just up from the traffic light, and the one that was on the corner of Ferry Street and old 72 near the ball park.
As for department type stores, 5 to 5 used to be downtown by the poolhall for years, then it moved to the West End. There were 5 and 10 Cent stores on the corner by the fountain and between Richeson's Drug Store and Tic Toc's. There was also a Drug Store across 11 from Tic Toc's, next to Greer's. Tic Toc's used to be the only place in town you could by records.
I know I'm missing some more stores on the side streets, but that's about where my memory screeches to a halt. Help me out.
5 comments:
I believe that was Ed Watkins store up next to the old pool hall. It had a small fountain in front of it. Back, down the street was Family Fashions and the 5to5.We even had a shoe store, called Henry's. There was tons of little cafe's. Remember the Blue Circle and Roy Farmers out in the west-end.
I knew I was missing one. I forgot Family Fashion. As for cafe's I remember one behind Richeson's, Grace's, a little one under the bridge, one in the west end at 11 and Highland Ave, and it seems there was one across 11 from the back of the First Baptist Church. Oh, and for grocery stores I missed Charlie Arp's.
There was also Harold and Wilma Giles Grocery on 72 about 1/2 mile past Simpsons. We lived in that area when we were first married and I remember buying groceries there for about $10 a week! We lived in a single wide trailer and our rent was $35.00 per month with water furnished.
Simpson's Grocery is still in business. They open up about 6 am and close at 7 pm. Giles IGA run by Harold & Wilma Giles is now Vonore Road Storage Units. The IGA use to give green stamps. Does anyone remember those? I still have some laying around somewhere!
I loved to collect those green stamps! When I had several books I would go to the green stamp store on Kingston Pike and use them to buy baby items when my girls were little. That store had a little of everything. It was like getting stuff for free.
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