Back in the 1950’s
and up until the early 1960’s, Grayville had eleven grocery stores. Per
capita, that would figure out to be about one store per 220 people back
then. One certainly didn’t have to go too far to buy a quart of milk! Four
were downtown and the remaining seven neighborhood stores, all except two,
were located on the north side. For some of you old timers who were living
in Grayville about forty years ago, pause here for a moment and try to name
them before moving on to the next paragraph. Well, if time has dulled your
memory, or perhaps you’re a newcomer, I will endeavor to acquaint or
reacquaint you with the way it used to be when I was a kid.
Whenever I recall
the neighborhood stores, Lloyd Williams’ store always pops into my mind
first because it was closest to our home. His store was a long white frame
building that used to stand on the northeast corner of West spring St. and
the Old State Highway (Ill Route 130). I often stopped off there for an
afternoon snack and soda pop when I used to mow lawns and enjoyed listening
to his war stories from WW I. About a block further north and on the west
side of the old highway was Mr. Bump’s Grocery. It was located, in what I
recall, as a two-story house that was converted into a store. Several blocks
further north and across from Oak Grove Cemetery, was Pete Coe’s Grocery.
Pete’s store resembled as small town general store and you could buy
everything there from gas to minnows. Pete’s was also a favorite hang out
for some of the town philosophers and if you wanted to know what was going
on around town, or get advice on just about any subject, there was usually
someone there to fill you in. Taking a right turn down the hill on West
Martin St., past the old North Side School, and across North Second St. was
Bill Bunting’s Grocery. It was located on the north side of the street. I’m
sure all of you former students of the old North Side Elementary School
remember well his small concrete block store where we used to buy penny
candy and bubble gum. At night, his bright light in front of the store
seemed to light up the whole neighborhood. Further down Martin St. and then
toward town on State Highway 1, was Elliott’s Market located on the East
Side. It was a one-story building with a red brick front that faced the
highway and was owned and operated by the late Dennis Elliott Sr. and his
family. I remember it as probably the only place in town that sold pickled
pigs feet in addition to a wide selection of produce and general
merchandise.
The two
neighborhood stores that were located on the south side of town were Houck’s
Riverside Market and Dorris’s Grocery. Houck’s market was somewhat of a
landmark located just northeast of the North St. and Water St. intersection.
The owners, Mr. and Mrs. Houck, supplied many a weekend riverside party with
their convenient location near the boat ramp. Of course, that was back when
the river ran where it should still be today,“ and Illinois was Illinois and
Indiana was Indiana.” Mr. Houck
was also the local pecan broker for a candy company during the fall and we
sold quite a few pounds there over the years. Further south on Water St.,
then right on Walnut St., and over the hill to the South Main St.
intersection; was the Dorris Grocery. Mr. Dorris’s store was a white frame
building that stood on a high brick foundation on the northeast corner above
the ravine. We used to stop there for cold drinks on our summertime treks to
and from the swimming pool or park.
Traveling down
North St. from the four way stop was Bowman’s Market across from the Wabash
Theater. It was probably the earliest downtown business to open every
morning. George Bowman Jr. and Sr. ran the store for many years. While
working at the Wabash Theater back in the early 1960’s, we used to buy ham
sandwiches there for ten cents each and take them over to share with weekend
crew. A few doors down and on the northwest corner of North and Middle St.
was Lowell Jordan’s Red and White Market. Jordan’s was the largest of all
the Grayville stores. There always seemed to be shopping carts on the front
sidewalk where an overhead speaker was mounted to play music and advertise
daily grocery specials. Across Middle St. and located on the northeast
corner was Ramsey’s Market operated by Norman (Cotton) and Wilma Ramsey. I
will always remember Ramsey’s Market as having the coffee bean grinders
located at the checkout counter and the sweet aroma of freshly ground coffee
that permeated the air. Four more doors down North St. was a market owned by
Ralph and Mae Horste, that was truly one of Grayville’s landmarks and assets
as well! Horste’s Market will no doubt be remembered for their famous
homemade smoked baloney which was really German wurst at its best (no pun
intended, wurst is the word for sausage in German). That was no doubt the
best wurst ever made this side of the Fatherland! There is a Shell truck
stop here in Texas on Interstate 10 between Houston and San Antonio called
“Grumpy’s” that makes a very similar wurst,
aber Ich denke das Horste’s war etwas besser! (I think Horste’s was
better, “especially with a cold brew”),
Jawohl!
With all of those
stores now gone, Grayville just doesn’t seem the same anymore. Each had its
unique characteristic that distinguished it from another and somehow all of
those businesses survived together in a town the size of Grayville. Today,
only one market stands on the site where one of the previous markets stood
several decades ago. As for the town philosophers who used to frequent Pete
Coe’s, well most have returned to the neighborhood and now reside
permanently just across the old highway in Oak Grove Cemetery. Maybe their
spirits still get together over there some nights when the moon is full. I’m
sure they argue politics, exchange graveyard gossip, and some no doubt long
for one last taste of Horste’s baloney.
Write
Bill Werzner
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