I grew up in Savanna, Illinois in the ‘50’s and ‘60’s. Savanna was a small town where you didn’t worry about locking the doors to your house. And it was an era where in grade school it was considered safe to walk home from school, even though it was about a mile walk.
Between my Avenue School and my house, there were three neighborhood groceries. If you had extra change, you would always stop for some baseball cards, a pop, or a candy bar. Everything was from a penny to a dime.
As I drive around Galesburg, I see buildings that clearly had to be “neighborhood groceries.” And I hear people who grew up in Galesburg talking about Nelson’s, Shott’s, Dickerson’s, and many more.
In an article on the subject, Tom Wilson said that in the 1930’s there were over 130 small businesses that sold food in Galesburg. Some of these stores sold only food, others only meat, some just candy, and others might mainly have sold clothes but also had a section for food. Main Street had over 10 such stores. By the 1950’s, there were 50 such local stores.
I have posted pictures of some of the “neighborhood groceries.” If you have any info, could you share with me— email me at emass70@yahoo.com
1- Picture of it when it was open?
2- Name of owner of the store?
3- Any interesting anecdotes?
5- When did it close?
Please do not send info via comments on Facebook. Email to emass70@yahoo.com.
Shott’s
705 E. Fremont St. (Fremont St/Beecher St.)
Shared memories…
Originally was Fremont Grocery.
Known for exceptional meat products.
Model Grocery
40 E. Sanborn St.
Shared Memories…
George Stephenson (Churchill Teacher), owned the store for years and operated a flower shop. It was called Statice Gardens.
Campbell’s
240 E. Fremont St. (between Prairie/Kellogg)
Quality Grocery
North St/Whitesboro St.
Shared Memories…
It is now Pookies Pet Style.
Bowman’s
940 E. North St. (Lincoln St/North St.)
Shared memories…
Run by mother/daughter, who were die-hard Cubs fans.
They allowed customers to pay their bill on “pay day.”
North St/Pearl St
H & W Foods
East Main St/Ohio St.
Shared Memories…
Closed around 1958.
Swanson Brothers
892 E. Brooks St. (Day St./Brooks St.)
Dickerson’s
W.Main St/West St.
Shared Memories…
Famous for huge lunch crowds, who came for homemade sandwiches.
Lots of stories shared, some true.
Smith’s and Hap’s
Monmouth Blvd/Henderson St.
Share Memories…
They had kitchen cooked small, fruit pies.
Hi-Lo Grocery
S.Seminary St.
Nelson’s
725 W. North (North St./Monroe St.)
Shared Memories of Nelson’s
One of largest grocery inventories.
Famous as hangout in the back for boys playing pinball.
Had a unique soda machine.
Always seemed to have the newest series of baseball cards.
We lived just around the corner from Nelson’s so it was a huge hit with our kids growing up. Pearl definitely ran the shop. Snow cones were 12 cents and the ice block was frozen in a “ special” waste basket used just for that purpose. Pearl would hand shave it and then look you over and decide if you got a whole straw or a half straw.
Kids didn’t have pockets in their shorts then , so you could use an empty container of pearls that she kept on the shelf with your name on it as your bank. When you had money you put it in there and if you were broke she turned in upside down so you knew where things stood. The main case was penny candy and she would wait while you decided and changed your mind as to which items you wanted.
You could sit on the counter stools BUT NO SPINNING AROUNG!
Pearl also sold some groceries and would heat up an already prepared hamburger. I was never desperate enough to buy things as the dust was thick on the shelves. There was also a back room with Pin ball machines.
Nothing made the kids happier on a hot day as when they were given 15 cents and allowed to walk to Nelson’s by themselves! It easily took an hour! Growing up in Galesburg was great for kids
Knox St./Henderson St.
Charleson’s
508 N. Pearl St (East Grove St/ North Pearl St.)
Trading Post
1515 E. Main St. (Main St. and Arnold St.)
Shared Memories…
One of last stores to close in the ‘70’s.
Famous for having pickles in a barrel.
Whitesboro St and Grand Ave
Chamber’s Street Market
639 South Chambers St.
797 South Chambers St.
West Main St and Highland Ave.
Sabetti’s
1290 W. Main St. (West Main St and Ivan Ave)
Shared Memories…
Later became the 4th Park Drive Dairy in Galesburg.
Ellison’s
808 South Cedar St and Second St
Shared Memories…
Specialized in selling products made by local people.
Britton’s
1070 W. Losey St. (W. Losey, near Hawkinson St.)
Shared Memories…
Run by Howard and Evelyn Britton.
Allowed customers to pay their bill at the end of the month.
It closed around 1973.
Mr and Mrs Britton- operated Britton’s from the ‘50’s thru 1973.
Calderone’s
678 East Main St.
Levenberg’s Market
Losey St. and Arnold St.
Shared Memories…
Levenberg's Market (Sam's) owned and operated by Sam and Harold "Cheesy" Levenberg.was located on the corner of East Losey and Arnold in the neighborhood called "Monkey Town."
We kids in the neighborhood would spend hours there listening to Cheesy tell stories, In between his tales we would buy candy, doughnuts, Hostess cakes, drink pop and generally skylark. Many of our parents, especially our dads, would join the discussion or debate at Sam's. Many of our mothers would do all their shopping at Sam's. Often I would sit with Cheesy on warm summer nights and talk with him about a myriad of topics. He once told me that his father, Sam, immigrated to the United States from Lithuania. Later I would learn that Lena, his mother, came from Germany. Both were Jews. Sam was marginally observant. Lena was devout. Harold was not very religious. However, he did play on the B'nai Brith bowling team and was quite good. In the early 50's, Cheesy sponsored a neighborhood baseball team in the Junior Hardball League that played at H.T. Custer Park. Levenberg's Grocery got second place to Hi-Lo.
It was the baby boomer era and there was no shortage of customers--and then there was.. In 1964, Levenbergs sold to Aline Shotts, and although Al, as she was called, maintained the atmosphere that Cheesy had created--for a while--it finally came to an end in the late '70/early'80'. Meeting its demise as large supermarkets brought an end to neighborhood stores--and an end to the neighborhood gathering places, where more than money was exchanged
Charles Anderson Grocery
900 Block, West Berrien St.
Kennedy’s
624 Liberty St
Shared Memories…
The nuns at St. Joe’s sent me there a few times during class to pick up fresh meat for their dinner.
Tabonne’s
1345 North Seminary St
Evan’s
632 S. West St.
Shared Memories…
They had a pop cooler with the bottles in cold water.
Hi-Lo Grocery
Grand Ave and Michigan Ave.
Harley’s, Turney’s
526 S. Academy St. (Bottom of hill from St. Joe’s)
Shared Memories…
8th graders at St. Joe’s were known to have gone out the fire escape door during class to get candy without the nun knowing they were gone.
Dagnon’s
539 North Maple Street
Chadwick’s
Henderson St. and Walnut St.
Swanny’s
Henderson St. and North St.
C & E Grocery
Owners- Clarence “Classy” & Elmer Augustine
1st- C & E Lunch on N.Seminary Next to Cedar Fork (1933-1936)
2nd- C & E Grocery- 197 W. Losey St. (1936-1941)
3rd- C & E Grocery- 187 W. Losey St (1941-1957)
4th- C & E Super Value- Henderson St. (Old Airport Hanger)
Shared Memories…
C & E Lunch was the hot spot for high school students and for nurses from Cottage.
During days on Losey St, the grocery provided delivery service.
At the Super Value- the store had baggers who would take the bags out to customers cars.
Sandwich Shop on N. Seminary St.
197 W. Losey St (1936-1941)
187 W. Losey St (1941-1957)
Henderson Street (1957-1970) (Clarence Augustine)
Delivery Schedule
Sloan’s
Across from St. Pat’s Church
Pete’s Market
788 N. Seminary St. (Seminary St. and Seldon St.)
Johnny’s Market
South St. and Monmouth Blvd.
Brownie’s
Academy St. and South St.
Swanson’s
325 W. South St. (South St. and Whitesboro St.)
Wilkin’s Market
Fremont St. near Losey St.
Shared Memories….
It was kind of a fish bait and tackle shop. But had great candy selection and a case of bottle pop soda in ice water circulating. One I like was Bubble Up like 7up lemon lime.
Kidder’s
S. Cedar St. and Knox St.
Shared Memories…
It was located at what is now the west end of the Knox track. They had great hamburgers.
1949- Galesburg City Directory of Groceries
1956 Galesburg City Directory of Groceries
If you have any info, could you share with me— email me at emass70@yahoo.com
1- Picture of it when it was open?
2- Name of owner of the store?
3- Any interesting anecdotes?
5- When did it close?
Please do not send info via comments on Facebook. Email to emass70@yahoo.com.
#15 was a Standard oil gas station. #17 was a donut shop in the 60’s. #20 was the C&I sandwich shop- famous for tenderloins prior to Gray’s. #25 Sam Levenberg grocery which was sold to Aline Shotts in the late 60’s. Had a small apartment in the back of store.
ReplyDeleteGreat topic, Evan. I’ll start by saying that my mom shopped at National Tea in the 50’s (located where Breslin’s is today); then shopped for a while at DelFarms on West Main (Fish/food bank now). By the 60’s she was shopping at Benner’s (later Giant) on East Main. My first trek in solo shopping was at the HiLo on Grand (across Michigan from Dave’s Auto Body) and also the Golden Cream Dairy on Grand. I could ride my bike to both places in the early 60’s.
ReplyDeleteThere were two Davis Food Stores, one across from Northgate Lanes and the other on Grand where Amp Electric is. Davis Food sponsored a Babe Ruth team coached for many years in the 60’s by Phil Erickson.
C&E was in the old airport hanger on Henderson (now HyVee Liquor). A&P was on North Broad, then moved to East Main around 1960. They gave out copies of the Declaration of Independence at their grand opening.
As for the pictures above:
8. I only remember it as Holt’s Plumbing
12. Nelson’s always seemed to have the new series of baseball cards before anyone else
15. I only remember a gas station
17. Was built in 60’s as Bakers Dozen Donuts
21. Mingare’s and Sabetti’s
27. The nuns at St Joe sent me there a few times during class to pick up meat.
29. They had a pop cooler that had the pop in cold water.
31. 8th graders at St Joe were known to have gone out the fire escape door during class to get candy without the nun knowing they were gone.
40. Located at what is now the west end of Knox’s track. They had great hamburgers
Too bad Charlie andAugie aren’t listed under GATT. More people would remember them.
ReplyDeleteNot sure I understand your comment as to what “GATT” is? Understand that this post has been put together by people adding information, so if there is something you feel should be corrected- email me at emass70@yahoo.com with the info that you feel belongs. Thanks for reading!!!
DeleteDave was thinking the one by St Pat’s #41 may have been called Sloan’s- possibly just a candy store?? Pinball machines too when he was small- early 1960s
ReplyDeleteDave Pacheco
Delete