MORE PLACES OF THE HEART

Remembering Clovis businesses
   from the 30's and 40's....
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     ... by Robert Stebbins CHS '51
     ...Bobby Joe Snipes CHS '53
     ...Vernoy Willis CHS '50

Mil's note...In July, 2019 (recently) we

ran a story written about of the interesting

Clovis businesses of the thirties, forties, and

later…A good deal of interest was

expressed by Mil's readers and here we post

helpful comments and historical information

from three contributing writers--all CHS

graduates.  They give info which might 

have been lost to history...

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Robert Stebbins:

Milburn....You really covered the Main Street landscape.  Nothing wrong with your memory.

As far as West Seventh Street is concerned, beginning behind the First Methodist Church going west, there was Wickard's Phillips 66, Skeen's Dry Cleaners, Torrance Reed's Boots, "something" automotive, Been's service station, Magic Steam Laundry (again), Chrysler? Dealer, Clovis Drug (Manuel & Molly), Durand's Meat Market, Bristow's Groceries, Red's Barber Shop, Dr. Pepper Bottling, Calkin's Body and Fender, La Casita, Al's Drive In....from there on out, it's a little hazy.  Maybe Bob and Al can fill it in.

Bobby Joe Snipes:

On Main Street, I may have missed but don't recall seeing the Clovis Steam Laundry, Denton Sporting Goods, Raton Creamery, or Santa Fe Railway.  

   

Been thinking about 7th street businesses and here is what I came up with........that something automotive was Central Auto owned by Jack Eichenberger.  They had auto parts and repair and later a lawn mower shop and a Honda motor cycle dealership.  The Chrysler dealer was Ingram Bros Motor…Ed and D. L. Ingram…I think they had DeSoto and Plymouth dealership.  I think Calkins was later Skinny's body shop and next to that was The Safety Lane.  They did front end align and tires.  Also there was on the north side was Watson Motor owned by Merl Watson and sold Lincolns and Mercurys and Edsel’s, I think. 

Across from Foxy’s, south, was an old service station…which was across from La Casita.  In the 40s La Casita used part of that old station for class rooms and later we had O. K. Tire store in that old station..  Then, of course, there was Alexander’s Food market in about the 900 block of 7th.  Then of course in about the 1200 block was Petty's garage and Petty’s Grocery, which is where Art and I would walk from 500 West street with a penny each and buy a "Guess What".  A “guess what” had two pieces of taffy candy and a little surprise wrapped up in some paper for 1 cent…..that was about 1938-39-40.  That is about as far as my memory takes me hope that helps you.  Bobby Joe

Bobby Snipes:

Got to thinking…..I missed McGee International Truck dealership which was another block west of Petty's.  If my wee brain pulls up another business I will pass it on to you.    

Bob Stebbins:

Hi Bob...Hey!  Nothing wrong with your memory.  You filled in the cracks that I left.  Milburn now has about the most complete picture of Clovis' Main Street and West Seventh Street that we can come up from our time.  

   

Vernoy Willis:

Mil;   My dads store was named  M and W grocery for several years.  Stood for Mott and Willis.   Later on dad bought Mott out and it became “Luke's" Grocery.    Sub Name or Red and White.

On Seventh and Hull about 1939 there was small grocery called Johnston Grocery.  We ran the store and lived in the back.  Next to us was a Shell station.  Across from Luckett’s was Norman Petty’s station and later his recording studio.

Marks iron and welding shop was about one block North of Hull on the North side.  I think the Ingram brothers also sold Hudson.  Wow, what a car.

There was a candy factory on South side block or two west of Perry’s.  Think the name was Camels candy.  Made great peanut patties.

Was there a skating rink at Commerce and Wallace.  Right behind Levi Brakes house??

Oh, and Torrence Reid had good boot shop at seventh and Mitchell,
and a bakery was right along there.  Used to go in at midnight and
get a loaf of hot bread.

Addendum from Mil: 

An interesting little-known fact

about early Clovis businesses.

On the north side of W. Seventh,

close to mid-block, and between 

Calhoun and Hinkle, sat a very

small Mom &Pop grocery in the

thirties. It was owned and operated

by my great uncle E.A. Key. He was

mayor of Clovis circa the early thirties.

Histories have his initials wrong. 
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For Mil's Place 8/22/19
Stories by:  Robert Stebbins, Bobby Joe Snipes, and Vernoy Willis