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When you think of it, it's rather sad where this whole grocery business has gone to. Take Hurley for instance, since it's my home town.
Back in the 60's we had two grocers: Ben's, & Spomer's. There also was Nelson's general store where you could buy groceries, and Stan's cafe sold a few grocery items. Today, there's no grocery store per say, at all. Just a convenience mart in Olson's old gas station.
My grandparents ran a grocery store there in the 30's called: Economy Merchandise. There were three other grocers, a meat market and a baked goods store at that time as well.
As a kid we would often buy groceries in Davis at Tjaden-Millers. I know they had a store in Chancellor too.
Viborg in the 60's and 70's had Jack & Jill as well as Henry's Clover Farm. Freeman had a Clover Farm and a Jack & Jill store, a bakery, and a meat market. Parker had a Jack & Jill, another grocer, and a bakery I recall.
Tyndall has always been such a nice little town that has seemed to hang on longer than any other town in the country, but this last summer they saw the sad loss of their meat market, their hardware store, and another store all in a month. Now their main street is getting to look as sad as about any other small town's.
When you think of it, it's rather sad where this whole grocery business has gone to.
It really is sad. When these stores close it has a profound impact on the community. Once folks have to start going out of town for food, then they go for other essentials as well. After the grocery store in Bristol closed, the community actually got together and re-opened it, but sadly it closed again quite a while ago. Now that I think of it, the 2nd grocery store that was in Webster (an affiliated store) also closed last summer.
Terrible when any one particular kind of business goes under in a town. You keep your grocery, but lose the hardware store, then if I need to buy some screw or stuff, off I go to Mitchell or Yankton or Huron or wherever, well, what's to keep me from buying my groceries and other things while I'm there?
It becomes a vicious cycle.
What has gotten me, however, I know of some SD towns where a business like ALCO asked to come to town and the "powers that be" kept them out because it wasn't "local". They already had no where to even buy a pair of socks in that town. I know ALCO would have sold a few grocery items but I doubt it would have hurt the two grocery stores as much as help them. With ALCO in town, people would have been drawn to town, and would have bought groceries while they're there.
In the same town, Bomgaar's wanted to wanted to come in and they were kept out. However, there's no hardware or farm store left in this town. It comes a time when if the "little guy" can no longer stay in business, the big "chain" is better than nothing.
This town now has a Dollar General outside the city limits. They tell me it's one of the busiest Dollar General stores in the entire US, but I keep thinking, ALCO would have been much more convenient and offered more so we could stay close to home. With an ALCO & a Bomgaars, coupled with the local grocers, gas stations and implement dealers, a person really would seldom have to go to a big city for anything.
I worked for Hinky Dinky on W. 12th in Sioux Falls back in the 70's. They opened 2 other stores in SF one on 41 & Minnesota, and one on East 10th. As a little kid in the 60's we used to go to the "Safeway Clover Farm" store on 12th & Marion which is now a convenience store. An older couple named Thomas ran it and lived in a small apartment in the back. I also recall a Ralph's IGA grocery about 12th & Western mom would shop at occasionally. It's now a liquor store.
My grandmother lived in Pierre and I had thought for a long time that when I was a kid there was a Piggly Wiggly there but I bet it was a Hinky Dinky. Anyone know if there was one in Pierre? I don't remember the exact location but not exactly a major street. Maybe corner of Central and Capital?
My grandmother lived in Pierre and I had thought for a long time that when I was a kid there was a Piggly Wiggly there but I bet it was a Hinky Dinky. Anyone know if there was one in Pierre? I don't remember the exact location but not exactly a major street. Maybe corner of Central and Capital?
Yes. Years ago. I think it was a Piggly Wiggly. The building is still there. Now it is office spaces.
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