Thursday, October 06, 2011

Gone But Not Forgotten Walla Walla Neighborhood Grocery Stores

For the most part, 7-11 stole them from us, or was it just father time. The corner groceries where you would run to get milk or bread.  One from my early childhood is still around.  The Short Stop Market at 3rd and Yakima.  The above is Green Park Grocery at Isaac and Clinton. 
1.  Duff's  The only downtown store, with a big freezer stocked with cold beer.  Actually, it was Duff's Dairy.
2. Anderson's Market  A block from Pioneer Park on Division.  A great place to go to get an ice cream cone or a soda after a hot day at the park.
3.  Boys Market  Great location--Alder and Wilbur Actually turned into a 7-11.
4.  Johnny's Market   Near Berney School
5.  Green Park Grocery  Pictured above  (thanks to Bygone Walla Walla Blog) across from Green Park School.
Also Pioneer Market (formerly Storer's and Fred's Alder Street), Maxson's, Demoss, and The Corner Grocery (a block from Paine School)

28 comments:

Shannon Smith-McKeown said...

Hey! You forgot Melrose Market on the corner of Melrose and Division. I can tell you what was on every aisle! I also loved that they had the licorice sticks out in the open right across from the meat dept. and can remember the smell. They actually butchered huge slabs of meat right there on the block! Great memories!

Mike Barer said...

I probably left quite a few out. There was also a store on 4th, south of Chestnut that was owned by the Frank family. This is so much fun to rekindle the memories. I hope that we can keep it going.

Anonymous said...

There were a number of markets on the north west side of town.
Top Notch Market on Elm and North
6th St. Also, Elm St. Market on Elm and North 8th St.and Peoples Market out on Pine St. past North 13th.

Mary Sluyter-Oldridge said...

Before Boys Market was at Alder and Wilbur, it was at the corner of Isaacs and Roosevelt. Used to walk the block from Portland Street. Sawdust on the floor in the meat department. Wished I could remember the owner's name. It escapes me right now. This would have been in the 1950's.

Joani said...

We used to live a couple of blocks away from Anderson's Grocery. I remember going there often for my Mom and she would give me enough money to buy a Fudge cycle or soda which cost 5 cents.. back then the sodas were in 7 oz. bottles.

Anonymous said...

Johnny's Market was located at the intersection of Pleasant and School, just catty corner from Berney School. Johnny and Mary Schneidmiller were the owners and my sister Bonnie Crump...er worked there. My friend Ross Pulfer and I got a good hacking from Principal L.C. Smoke for buying candy during lunch. His paddle was aerodynamically designed with holes in it to minimize wind resistance and maximize pain.

Ida said...

DeMoss Grocery store was on 2nd Avenue across the street from the Southgate Apartments.

Scotty Ray said...

The Melrose Market owner's name was Sol Frank. Like most neighborhood store owners he had a grocery specialty, he was a butcher. Sol also had a "Pet Sausage". Every butcher usually had their own receipts for making sausage and Sol's was one of the best in town. Scotty Ray

Jim Yeager said...

To Mary: at least when BOY's MARKET was at Alder & Wilbur it was owned by DUKE TODOROVICH and I think a partner.. that is where 7-11 stands today.

Unknown said...

Boys market was Evergreen market befor it was boys hence the bit metal tree sign.

Unknown said...

Gabe Joseph ran a small grocery store at the corner of 9th and Chestnut. There was also a small butcher's section within the store. My Mom used to send me there to buy a few items now and then. I loved this "duty." As a kid, I remember being impressed by the wide plank flooring that showed its age.

Anonymous said...

Purity Market was owned by Fred Beechinor - It was right downtown, on Main I think.

Unknown said...

Interesting. Never knew it. Always knew it at E Alder and Wilbur. The proprietor's name was Duke Tomomorvich (sp).

Shirley Bowe said...

My family shopped at a little grocery on 9th street between Alder and Popular. I believe the owner name was Hurbert, they lived next to the store. I remember it was usual for a store to run a charge account. My dad would stop on his was home on pay day to settle the account. I also would run up to the store for my mom to get meat or milk or bread.

Rollie said...

Duff's was the only stand-alone market downtown (I went to school with one of the Duff kids) but also, remember the little grocery store that was part of Gardner's department store downtown?

We lived five blocks from Storer's market (spelling?) which is now a dentist/eye doctor center on Alder near the Nazarene church. So many little stores in this town that were just going out in the 60's! Also, Sigman's was the store that was in the location of the Public Library. There's still a part of a wall from the old store on the property - like an ancient ruin! ;0)

Unknown said...

Hey, since you knew Andersons, they had a sausage there they made called "Pep-sausage" tat was a family favorite and craved. Family is now gone and I was reliving old times and remembered that LOVED sausage. Do you remember that and if so, know where I could get a recipe?

Diana Robanske said...

Westgate Market, on Old Wallula Road, run by my father Dave Robanske.

Unknown said...

To Gary-lee Gordon, the sausage was made by my uncle, Harold Johnson. There were know recipes written down, just in his head. I know, I loved it too

Mark M. said...

We lived 1.5 blocks from Melrose Market on N. Division and Melrose. There would be times when my mom was sick and the owner, Sol Frank, would take a shopping list from her, pick up the items, then personally deliver them to her. In the late 60's-early 70's when the supermarkets took over, he sold the building and it was converted to a dentist's office.

Frankie Laufer said...

Model Grocery, I think on 2nd/ Alder area.

Anonymous said...

I lived three blocks from Anderson’s Market. I would go there all the time. Back then, you could “charge” your groceries to your account. There also use to be apartments next to the store. So sad when it closed. The apartments have been torn down but the market still stands.

Anonymous said...

Johnny's market was not down the street on Alder from Boy's market. Johnny's market was on the corner of Pleasant and School Ave kitty corner from Bernie school.

Mike Barer said...

Thank you for reading. I will fix that.

Anonymous said...

Clarence Anderson was my Grandfather. He and my Grandmother owned the store they lived on Pleasant and my Mother , my sister and I lived across the street from them. The Best Beef Jerky in town hands down. I would go to the store and go back to the butcher block and BUTCH would always give me the bologna ends. Then load me up with beef jerky the peppers beef jerky no doubt. So many memories. Uncle Jay my Mom Carolyn both worked at different times . It’s really sad that it didn’t stay in the family even if it had closed. Now it’s just a big storage for some landlord who has a bunch of properties in town. I think not real sure what the building is . The apts were above the store and only the main part of the store remains. The original store is located across the street and has been sines several different things. It’s now in the present a house. I’d admit when I was younger I so want to make that into a house. So to the family who owns and lives there, lucky you . I would live a tour sometime.

Anonymous said...

FREDS market, I was sent to buy things too.

Anonymous said...

What was the name of the neighborhood market on the 700 block of Penrose not far from Isaacs? We lived in the area and visited it often, buying penny candy in the late 50's early 60's?

Mike Barer said...

I don't remember, really, but was it maybe called "College Store", I know that sounds like something in College Place, but I think the its proximity to Whitman College, let to that name.
I'm not sure, though.

Anonymous said...

Used to spend most of my paper route money at this store. I would buy Dukes peppered jerkey until he would cut me off until the following month. I remember the gentleman who ran the cash register. His name was Art. Really liked his penciled in mustache.