Keeping up with past and present happenings in a remarkable small town.
Saturday, August 26, 2006
Troutman's Department Store
It was our shopping paradise.
20 comments:
Anonymous
said...
Ah yes,remember the air operated tube system that took your payment to some secret dungeon to be processed and return your reciept and change. Troutmans was also the source for all cub and boy scout items,uniforms,books etc.Maybe Mom and Dad couldn't afford other things but I did get scouting items there.
In fact,I worked there one summer in the delivery dept and stock room while regular employees went on vacation,was a good job for a teenager.I remember Mr Andre and Margo(?) in the advertising department.I went to school with Mr Andre's daughter Karen.
I also remember the buses that used to line up on cunningham beside the building to take us wherever we wanted to go in Butler.
The last time I was in Butler there were motorcycles in the windows.Times change huh?
The F. W. Woolworth Company (often referred to as "Woolworth's") was one of the original American five-and-dime stores. Kresge, also a discount retail chain (and also in the "five and dime" category) was nearby if not next door to Woolworth's on Main Steet in Butler.
I am nearly certain that the other store mentioned was Murphy's. I still have some photos made in the little photo shop which was down in the basement. These were made in probably 1944 & 1945.
Maybe Monkey Wards---they had the tubes for payment too---and slow wooden ceiling fans all connected by bands (looked like a big rubber band running around). I remember Murphy's 5 & 10 where you would smell the cashews roasting and you could buy a bottle of "Blue Waltz" perfume for 12 cents (it was a big purchase for me).
Ya know, my life of credit decadence began not far from Troutmans.
Across the street there was a store that sold chemistry sets in the toy department.
I wanted the 'big' set which was very expensive...maybe $4.95...but I was employed-delivered Pittsburg Post Gazattes-so I purchased with my current wad of cash,$1.75, and talked the manager/owner into letting me pay 50 cents a week on the balance.
I even got to take the set home right away! From there it was all down hill....TVs, cars, homes, vacations, now {gasp} even groceries!
before it was Woolworth's, Grants department store was there. I believe it was a 5 and dime also. They had a Mynah Bird about where the lunch counter was in Woolworths. My mother could park me in front of that bird for hours while she shopped.
On the corner of Main and Cunningham was Woolworth's, then right beside it was the Kresge company and then farther down was Grant's. Kresge's evolved into K-Mart years later.
Troutman's and the old Jaffe's store were always my favorites. Woolworth's was across the street catty corner from Troutman's. I rememberthe horseshoe shaped luncheon counters and their wonderful basement floor. Murphy's was on the same side of the street as Troutman's - a block or more down. I remember my friend's dad always took us there for root beer floats. And how about Aland's Toy Store. My uncle worked there for years. Thanks for this Butler blog - it's great memories.
I used to deliver newspapers to the old Troutmans. I can remember the 2 elevators that they ran. One was push butten operated and the other was operated by a person. At Christmas time they always had Santa at the bottem of the step in the basement. They also had a fish pond filled with very dark blue water that kids could fih for a prize.
My Grandmother worked at Troutman's. As one of eight grandchildren, I knew becoming old enough to attend Junior High School meant being able to go to Troutman's after school and have a visit with Grandma. We would ride the elevator to the second floor, then race around the corner and back the floor to "Womens Lingerie" and she would be waiting with a big hug.
On occasions when we stayed with Grandma on weekends, we would walk from her home up in Gran Terrace down to Troutman's with her when she went to work. Then, we would walk on down to the Penn Theatre and watch movies all day (I remember watching The Beatles Hard Day's Night like five times back to back one time). Then, when we would know that Grandma was done with work, we'd leave the theatre and meet her at Troutman's and walk back up the hill to her home.
I remember G C Murpys have stes in the front and the rear. Remember they would sell peeps, ducks and rabbits around Easter time. They were tinted diffent colors. Loved that store. Who could forget Bills Bargain Store
I do remember Murphy's 5 and dime. Didn't the have a bargain basement? On the east side of N. Main was Offuits but the building burnt down and was replaced by W.T.Grant which went broke and then they put a Penny's in that building. Knew the manager's daughter and the family was from W. Virginia. Teased her that she never wore shoes until she moved to Butler. Ha! Ha!
Does anyone remember a rather dicey looking restaurant behind Troutman's that was located on the second floor of the building where the vacant Moses Jewelry store is now ?
Yes I remember but not the name. I worked holidays in tree trim at Murphy's & my best friend worked at Betty Gay during high school. We ate some lunches there. How about those thick chocolate shakes at Davy & Hilliards.
I shopped with my grandparents at Troutmans , Jaffes, Murphy's, etc. and then we would go to Isalys for ice cream and to buy chopped ham. I have my grandparents manger figurines from Murphy's with price tag still on them at cost of 15 cents each. My grandmother, Rhoda Boyer bought my mother china dishes at Troutmans which we still have today.
Don't know anything about the Troutman store, but apparently I'm a descendant of the Butler Troutman clan that move to Circleville OH. Guessing that would have been in the early 1900's. Family history is they started the store
My grandmother worked there for years. Originally she was hired to play the piano's on display before "muzak" systems came to be. Eventually she worked in bookkeeping. I still have a jewelry box with the Troutman's name stamped on it from a gift she got me. At the age of four that store in Butler was my first encounter with an escalator.
It was our shopping paradise.
20 comments:
Ah yes,remember the air operated tube system that took your payment to some secret dungeon to be processed and return your reciept and change.
Troutmans was also the source for all cub and boy scout items,uniforms,books etc.Maybe Mom and Dad couldn't afford other things but I did get scouting items there.
In fact,I worked there one summer in the delivery dept and stock room while regular employees went on vacation,was a good job for a teenager.I remember Mr Andre and Margo(?) in the advertising department.I went to school with Mr Andre's daughter Karen.
I also remember the buses that used to line up on cunningham beside the building to take us wherever we wanted to go in Butler.
The last time I was in Butler there were motorcycles in the windows.Times change huh?
I think the store was Kresge's although woolworth's had a basement as well.They wre side by side.
I recall a Sears and Roebuck (when Roebuck was still part of the name) that was nearby on Main Street, but I think the "five and dime" as Kresge.
The F. W. Woolworth Company (often referred to as "Woolworth's") was one of the original American five-and-dime stores. Kresge, also a discount retail chain (and also in the "five and dime" category) was nearby if not next door to Woolworth's on Main Steet in Butler.
I am nearly certain that the other store mentioned was Murphy's. I still have some photos made in the little photo shop which was down in the basement. These were made in probably 1944 & 1945.
Maybe Monkey Wards---they had the tubes for payment too---and slow wooden ceiling fans all connected by bands (looked like a big rubber band running around). I remember Murphy's 5 & 10 where you would smell the cashews roasting and you could buy a bottle of "Blue Waltz" perfume for 12 cents (it was a big purchase for me).
Ya know, my life of credit decadence began not far from Troutmans.
Across the street there was a store that sold chemistry sets in the toy department.
I wanted the 'big' set which was very expensive...maybe $4.95...but I was employed-delivered Pittsburg Post Gazattes-so I purchased with my current wad of cash,$1.75, and talked the manager/owner into letting me pay 50 cents a week on the balance.
I even got to take the set home right away! From there it was all down hill....TVs, cars, homes, vacations, now {gasp} even groceries!
Folks, evil starts young even in small towns!
before it was Woolworth's, Grants department store was there. I believe it was a 5 and dime also. They had a Mynah Bird about where the lunch counter was in Woolworths. My mother could park me in front of that bird for hours while she shopped.
On the corner of Main and Cunningham was Woolworth's, then right beside it was the Kresge company and then farther down was Grant's. Kresge's evolved into K-Mart years later.
Troutman's and the old Jaffe's store were always my favorites. Woolworth's was across the street catty corner from Troutman's. I rememberthe horseshoe shaped luncheon counters and their wonderful basement floor. Murphy's was on the same side of the street as Troutman's - a block or more down. I remember my friend's dad always took us there for root beer floats. And how about Aland's Toy Store. My uncle worked there for years. Thanks for this Butler blog - it's great memories.
I used to deliver newspapers to the old Troutmans. I can remember the 2 elevators that they ran. One was push butten operated and the other was operated by a person. At Christmas time they always had Santa at the bottem of the step in the basement. They also had a fish pond filled with very dark blue water that kids could fih for a prize.
My Grandmother worked at Troutman's. As one of eight grandchildren, I knew becoming old enough to attend Junior High School meant being able to go to Troutman's after school and have a visit with Grandma. We would ride the elevator to the second floor, then race around the corner and back the floor to "Womens Lingerie" and she would be waiting with a big hug.
On occasions when we stayed with Grandma on weekends, we would walk from her home up in Gran Terrace down to Troutman's with her when she went to work. Then, we would walk on down to the Penn Theatre and watch movies all day (I remember watching The Beatles Hard Day's Night like five times back to back one time). Then, when we would know that Grandma was done with work, we'd leave the theatre and meet her at Troutman's and walk back up the hill to her home.
Great memories!!
I remember G C Murpys have stes in the front and the rear. Remember they would sell peeps, ducks and rabbits around Easter time. They were tinted diffent colors. Loved that store.
Who could forget Bills Bargain Store
I do remember Murphy's 5 and dime. Didn't the have a bargain basement? On the east side of N. Main was Offuits but the building burnt down and was replaced by W.T.Grant which went broke and then they put a Penny's in that building. Knew the manager's daughter and the family was from W. Virginia. Teased her that she never wore shoes until she moved to Butler. Ha! Ha!
Does anyone remember a rather dicey looking restaurant behind Troutman's that was located on the second floor of the building where the vacant Moses Jewelry store is now ?
Yes I remember but not the name. I worked holidays in tree trim at Murphy's & my best friend worked at Betty Gay during high school. We ate some lunches there. How about those thick chocolate shakes at Davy & Hilliards.
I shopped with my grandparents at Troutmans , Jaffes, Murphy's, etc. and then we would go to Isalys for ice cream and to buy chopped ham. I have my grandparents manger figurines from Murphy's with price tag still on them at cost of 15 cents each. My grandmother, Rhoda Boyer bought my mother china dishes at Troutmans which we still have today.
Don't know anything about the Troutman store, but apparently I'm a descendant of the Butler Troutman clan that move to Circleville OH. Guessing that would have been in the early 1900's. Family history is they started the store
My grandmother worked there for years. Originally she was hired to play the piano's on display before "muzak" systems came to be. Eventually she worked in bookkeeping. I still have a jewelry box with the Troutman's name stamped on it from a gift she got me. At the age of four that store in Butler was my first encounter with an escalator.
Pappan's restaurant?
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