The Little Grocery Store Near East Clinton Elementary School

Tommy Towery

LHS '64

Last week I wrote about the little store near Rison and about the penny candy sold there. This week I want to remind some of you of a similar little store near East Clinton Elementary School. I know that when Lee was built many of you changed school districts and did not finish at East Clinton or move ahead to Huntsville Junior High. But still, there was a time when some of you were living near another little store which most probably will not remember.

The store was located at 518 East Clinton and was named Grimmett’s. The name came from the lady who ran it and who I called by the wrong name the whole time I went there. I always called her “Mrs. Grimes” when talking to my friends and probably never used her name when I visited her store. There was a little hand painted sign on the fence near the side door of the house which was used as the entrance to the store section of her home. The store was actually only one room of the house. Neither me nor my friends ever became more than customers to her, but we often shopped there. In my mind it was very much like the store featured in "Northern Exposure."

I was always intrigued by the way Mrs. Grimmett ran her store. She lived only half a block from my house, and we both lived about two blocks from the Kroger Store at the corner of East Clinton and Lincoln Street. Mrs. Grimmett kept her store stocked with a small selection of food she bought from Kroger’s. If you remember, back then most stores had price stickers on each individual product they sold. She would buy things from Kroger and use a grease pencil to mark through the Kroger price tag and write her own price on the cans. Usually she priced the items about five cents higher than the Kroger price. 

Things like bread, milk, and soft drinks were delivered to her. It is odd what your memory stores in its vault. When we needed some can of corn or something quickly I would go to her store. It's funny, but the one thing that sticks out in my memory most of all were the cans of High-C drinks she kept in the small refrigerator which held the small supply of items needed to be kept refrigerated. I can still visualize the grease pencil price had written on the top of each can.

When I moved away from East Clinton (rename Clinton Avenue East by then) her little store was still open and I have no idea of when and why it closed. 

Do any of you have similar memories of such small, All-American, stores you wish to share with your classmates? Use the comments section to let us know.

The Wayback Machine

I would be surprised to find out none of you ever used a label pricing gun back in our younger days. Long before the bar codes, we relied on the output of these guns to compare the prices of items in stores.

I hope everyone has a good Thanksgiving holiday. We will be staying home but Sue's youngest daughter and her family will be our house guest for the weekend. It's strange, but I have no "Thanksgiving Day" memories from my childhood. 

Last Week's Questions, Answers, And Comments

Collins Wynn, LHS '64, "(The name of the grocery store was) Baltimore Grocery."

Brenda Cagle Bell , LHS ‘66, "The video about penny candy really brought back memories for me. My Grandparents had a grocery store (Cagle Grocery) on Humes Av which was started in 1932 and it was attached to their house. My Mother worked at the store so we would walk there from Rison School. The penny candy was a favorite for us but I liked the Banana Flip Cake with a Double Cola. I wish my Grandchildren could have had this experience."

Nell Rose Brackett, LHS ‘71, "The grocery store name was Baltimore’s. I lived around the corner on Oakwood. I love Mr. & Mrs. Baltimore. I remember when I was in 2nd grade at Rison the school tried to keep students from going in the store after school. Rison sent the school crossing guys to block the entrance. I had to get my grandfather to go back with me so I could go in. Mr. Baltimore was so upset. Little to say it only last one day."

Jim McBride, LHS ‘65, "I think Baltimore’s Grocery is the store you mentioned. It’s the store that launched 1,000 cavities,  mostly among those of us who lived in Dallas Village. Bus riders missed out on that particular store."

Darla Gentry Steinberg, LHS ‘66, "I lived on Maysville Rd. a couple of houses away from Prince Grocery store that was right beside the creek. I bet lots of you remember that little store as well."

J.R. Brooks, LHS ‘64, "I also was sad to read about Sara's death. I remember how close she and Sandra were. My thoughts are with Sandra."

  Bob Alverson, LHS ‘65, "The grocery store you mentioned on 5th Street (Andrew Jackson Way) was Carroll's. It was directly across the street from 5th Street Baptist Church, present-day Jackson Way Baptist."

Mike Lutman, LHS '65 I transferred into Lee HS in October 74, graduating in 65. I joined the Marine Corps with Mike Kuettner but am not listed. Thanks for the work you do tying us all to Lee from far and wide. Look forward to the next issue ."

Ray Walker, LHS '64, "I was Army Reserve for 27 years and retired as Master Sergeant. Thanks for your many years of dedication and service to Lee High School that we like to remember."

John W. Turrentine, LHS '65, "U.S. Navy."

Martha Maddox, "I enjoy reading your newsletter each week although I am not part of your classes. Regarding the store on 5th street, the name was Baltimore Groceries. It was run by Henry and Lilly Baltimore. The store was on the property of Victor and Edna Stoltz who lived at the corner of 5th Street and Oakwood."