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| From John Holly Williams Collection, LLF Online Collection |
This place looks so familiar, as do the faces of the man and woman. The library reports no date, location or other information. The man's necktie would imply the 1940s or the early 1950s. Any suggestions that would help identify this photo further are most welcome.
Could this be Mr. and Mrs. Piper? She looks something like their daughter to me. They had a men's store just east of J.C. Penney's on West Cherokee and next to it (or in another part of the room) there was a gift/china store. I remember it was there in the 60's and early 70's....maybe 50's ,too.
ReplyDeleteBettie might be right, but I don't think that looks like Jack and Mildred Piper. I have seen their earlier pictures in an old First Methodist Church directory. Mr. Piper owned Jack's Shop, the men's store next door to his wife's gift/china shop, Milane's Gift Shop. Sonny said he thinks this looks a lot like the interior of the Eitel Gift Shop. Remember that gift shop, that was on the south end of their home, located on N. 2nd St., just north of the old Little Pigs' Bbque?
ReplyDeleteHard to say. I don't have a good mind's eye picture of Mr. Piper, but I tend to agree with Caroline. I seem to remember Mr. Piper has being a little more, what's the word? imposing?
ReplyDeleteRe Eitel Gift Shop? Hmmm, that is ringing a very faint bell. Who were the owners of Eitel's? That I don't recall at all.
I'm not certain about the ownership. I remember being in there in the late 70s, and a very old lady sold us some napkin rings and brass ash trays. I still have them. I think they were boxing things up to close the business at that time. Sonny called her Mrs. Eitel. I just asked him which one, and he can't remember except he thinks she was related to John Eitel, Frank Hartman's nephew. He thinks it used to be her shop, but was run by another young couple, which is probably the couple in the picture. The house was a two story house, just the north side of Lil Pigs, sort of across from an old Assembly of God Church. The shop was a real small area, pretty much all of it as shown in the picture, built on the side closest to the Bbque place, connected to the house, but with its own entrance. It had a big square picture window. I can remember being in there with my mother when I was a kid, and I can remember a pretty black head lady waited on us. Maybe that's her in your picture. Maybe she is related to the Eitels. If you have access to census records, look for an Eitel on N. 2nd St. in B'haven.
DeleteGreat information Caroline! Since Jimmie Meese Moomaw is related to Frank Hartman via marriage, I'm going to ask her to have a look and see what she remembers. Thank you!
ReplyDeletePossibly Bob and Mildred Smith? I believe her maiden name was Eitel. The shop was called "The Eitel House" . The house has recently been remodeled. It is located at 217 N. Second St. and is currently used as offices by The Baker Realty Group.
ReplyDeleteCurrent Photo from Google Maps http://www.flickr.com/photos/jayperkins/7902036246/
Must say, it's not what I thought at all, which is why I LOVE doing this! Thanks, y"all!
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