Grocery stores in the late 1800s and early 1900s, usually had clerks who would get the groceries for customers and bring them to a counter for them. Self-service stores came along later. One of the first to operate as self-service, was Piggly Wiggly. Here is…
In 1968, the hardware that had been owned and run by Fern Beale and the Bates, was purchased by Herbert Most and his wife Marlott who had come to the US from Germany in 1951. They owned the store until 1989. The store was in…
Peter Joseph Dooher (PJ) and his wife Flora (Whaley) came to Spartansburg before 1910. He served as a depot operator and telegrapher for the Pennsylvania Railroad from about 1910 until he retired about 1940. During part of this time, he also owned and managed, with…
On the southwest corner of Main Street and Mechanic Street, a large brick building was erected after the 1878 fire that destroyed both sides of the Main Street business district. Initially, this building housed the CW Kinney grocery store, later called the Diamond Grocery. About…
BL Miller came to Spartansburg from Williamsport in Summer, 1905 having purchased the business of CH (CA) Gabriel at auction, following the failure of the Spartansburg Bank. (Gabriel was a guarantor of the bank) . He had several years of experience as a druggist and…
In the late 1890s and early 1900s, Everett (Evert) Frost and wife, Edna, lived in Spartansburg where he owned a watch and clock repair and jewelry business. His store was on Main Street. Mr. Frost advertised in the Spartansburg Sentinel, in some creative ways. Everett…
With thanks to Gustav’s Great Grandson, Robert for sharing information and photos of Gustav and some of his tools and wooden travel chest. Gustav A. Schmelzer was a prominent and respected merchant and tradesman in Spartansburg for 37 years. He was born in Bavaria (at…
With the mottos “Live and Let Live” and “A Satisfied Customer is the Best Advertisement” Goldstein’s Mercantile operated in Spartansburg from 1868 until 1915. The business was started in 1868 by Joseph Goldstein and his wife Libbie who were Russian immigrants. Mr. Goldstein was a…
AV Winans came to Spartansburg in about 1865 and established a butcher shop with his brother, SA Winans. Two years later he and his father-in-law purchased hardware stores owned by Alsdorfs and by CM Hopkins. AV Winans combined the 2 hardware stores into a building…
Hardware stores have served an important role in all small communities by providing those items that could not easily be crafted by individuals on their homesteads. Spartansburg has had many merchants who met the needs for various types of hardware. Blacksmiths were among the first…
Platt’s Mill on Mill Street beside the dam is the longest operating business site in Spartansburg. It was the original grist mill site begun by the Akins brothers in the 1830s on land purchased from Judge Barlow. The Akins also had a saw mill on…
In the 1830’s The Akins brothers, Andrew and Aaron, opened a Saw Mill and a Grist Mill on the East and West Side of Oil Creek. The Grist mill was on the site of the current Platt’s Mill. In 1837, Andrew Akin opened a General…
