Downtown Stores?

Tommy Towery

LHS '64

The above photo showed up on Facebook sometime last week and I found it interesting to look at the store signs in the background rather than the wreck and gushing fire hydrant featured. Even though you can't see it in this picture, I found that near one of the optical centers of the photo (at least in the way I was taught in photography) by Busch's is the sign for Catha's Toy and Hobby Center. That sign caught my attention because that store has been mentioned several times in the past, most often by Rainer Klauss, LHS ’64. I believe it was one of his favorite stores back then.

Looking at the collection of store signs in the photo got me to thinking, “What was the most influential store in downtown Huntsville on my life when I was growing up?” Though I do not have a good photo of it, my readers might easily recall I often spoke of it, and here is what I noted in my book, “The Baby Boomer’s Guide to Growing Up in ‘The Rocket City’”. 

Grand News and Gifts – Better known as “The Grand News Stand” to most of us, this establishment stocked material that could carry a Baby Boomer from the cradle to puberty and beyond. Located on Clinton Street, this small shop was a favorite stomping ground, especially for the male gender. Run by Mr. Sanders, it was located east of Johnson and Mahoney clothing store. The cash register was just to the right of the entry door and he watched you come and go. There were two levels of the store with the highest level being located at the back of the store only a few steps up. The newsstand had candy and drinks and snacks and a collection of reading materials in center cases and on the walls. The upper section of the store was a favorite of mine because that was where the plastic models of airplanes, cars, ships, and military equipment could be found. Many boys spent their birthday and Christmas money on the models in that store.

The lower level of the shop had our favorite comic books and other types of magazines, including an adult section that was located in the far back left side. These were the days before adult material was placed behind counters or wrapped inside plastic to prevent them from being previewed by curious eyes. More than one pre-puberty male was caught by Mr. Sanders flipping the pages of early copies of Stag or the more famous Playboy magazines. Sometimes sneaky guys would pick up one of the adult-oriented magazines and slip it inside another less adult magazine to view the contents of the airbrushed photos of skimpily-clad female forms.

I probably visited the store every Saturday I went downtown. At first the draw was comic books and the candy and Cokes which were always available. Later the plastic models were responsible for a lot of sales to me. And as I got into hobbies the selections of monthly magazines was always an option. I especially remember stamp collector magazines and later Writer’s Digest as I developed an interest in writing. I also remember one time when a famous Yo-Yo champion visited the store and would carve an image into a newly purchased Duncan Yo-Yo. He carved a horse on an inexpensive orange and white wooden one I purchased.

So now I open the field to some of you. Not counting theaters or food stores, what do you remember as the retail store which made the biggest impact on your pre-graduation life? Please leave your comments in the form provided below.

We just returned from a nice vacation at Hilton Head Island and had a great time, even though it was a little chilly part of the time. Due to the storm that came though a couple of days before we were planning to leave Memphis, we change our route from the more northern one going through Nashville, to one that was more Southernly through Birmingham and Montgomery. We spent the night in Phenix City and I remembered a movie I saw as a child called "The Phenix City Story." I had to do some internet surfing to find out the true story of the history of that city and found it very interesting.

Comments on Last Week's Issue

Linda (Brown) Mann, LHS ‘65, "Hello to everyone. My husband was in the Butler band and told me a story about something my Lee majorette friend forgot to wear when marching with the band in one parade she was in."

Ruth Ann Wikle Dean, LHS ‘69, "Thank you for all you do."

Photographic Memories - Who Are They?

Each week I plan to share a group of photos from the 1960 "The General" yearbook without disclosing the names of the individuals. You may stop and try to identify them here, and when you are through you may scroll to the bottom of this page to see the identities of your classmates in the photos.

The Identites of the Classmates in the Pictures Above