I was in Camden for a few days last year when Burns Hardware was going out of business and I started to stop in, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. I love the old-time hardware stores and I still shop in them whenever possible even though it may cost a bit more. I can still picture Mr. Burns waiting on customers and I remember one of his employees, I can't remember his name, whose hobby was assembling model cars and he was always offering us tips when we were kids.
When I was a youngster staying with my grandparents we would normally come into town on Monday afternoon to do what little shopping we needed to do and we would often run by Sheheen's Feed and Seed for some chicken feed and, at some point around Easter, my grandparents would buy us kids a couple of little chicks which I'm sure at some point wound up on the Sunday dinner table. They were fun to raise, but we never got very attached to what would someday be our meal!
Let's see what else I remember:
Zemp's Drug Store (where we got Cherry Cokes!)
Bernie Baum's pawn shop
Rowell's Shoe Shop (I think this is right)
Rose's Five and Dime
Goodale Jewelers (which I think is still there-I remember Frank well!)
Ah, I almost forgot Sheorn's Mens Wear where we bought our Bass Weejuns!
Sam Karesh's dress store on the corner
Oh, Oh, and, of course Little Theater with Mr. Parker's barber shop right next door (I think this is now a tobacco shop)
The big-box stores such as Lowes, Wal-Mart, Target and the like may be convenient, but we have given up far too much in the quest for the lowest price! I'll take a bit of atmosphere along with knowledgeable personal service any time!
All of this nostalgia is taxing my feeble brain. Please, feel free to add your memories in comments!
No comments:
Post a Comment