1946, Many Improvements and Changes Since First of Year on West Main Street
More than a dozen Marion business firms on West Main Street have remodeled, redecorated or otherwise improved their places of business since the first of the year. Some of these are still in the process of construction and still more improvements are planned as material becomes available. All this has taken place despite the many inconveniences and shortages that face prospective builders today.
The Marion Bus Co., 405 W. Main, undertaking one of the most extensive projects is building a $35,000 brick and steel garage and office for its operations on the lot formerly occupied by the Standard Service Station. Construction began March 21 and is expected to be complete in about six weeks, if there is no tie-up in brick deliveries, Orval Travelstead said today.
Stating that the garage will house seven or eight busses, he pointed out that it will provide much better protection and service for the busses, which now must sit in the open or keep on the run constantly.
Travelstead added that the whole building is being set far back from the sidewalk as a safety precaution so that the company busses backing from the garage will not be on the highway. Walls three brick thick are being placed between the office and the garage, which are both to be in the same building. The office will use glaze tile, with asphalt tile flooring. A stone coping roof is planned for the structure.
The company has had orders in for new equipment and is expecting three city transit busses by fall, he revealed.
F.E. Powell of Powell’s Clothing Store, West corner, Public Square, is having his whole building tuck pointed in order to improve the appearance of this property. Workmen are caulking the windows and replacing the old mortar. They have been at work for three weeks and expect to be finished in another week.
Dr. A.N. Baker went into his new office at 200 W. Main which had been used by the Price Administration Board about March 1. The building has been completely modernized with glass brick fronting.
The T & L Shoppe, 207 W. Main, finished remodeling so as to increase the seating capacity by 22 about a month ago. The floors and kitchen were redone and the equipment was brought up to date. The drug apartment was discontinued but the donut machine was continued.
The Triple D Hardware and Appliance Store, 209 West Main, has been adding new items to its stock as soon as they are available since its formal opening on February 16th.
The L.B. Price Mercantile Co., 300 W. Main, moved from N. Market Street to its new location where the City Cleaners had been on May 1. Its 16 salesmen cover this territory, handling home furnishings and appliances.
Richard Lambert is installing a linoleum and rug store at 304 W. Main next door to the L.B. Price Co. He is still engaged in decorating the show room and buying merchandise.
The opening of the City Cleaners, 306 W. Main, where the Williamson County Relief Office was located has been delayed pending City Council approval of a building permit.
The addition of a complete service and repair shop in the new metal covered building to the rear of E. Blankenship Co., 704 W. Main, has enabled the company to provide much more efficient and complete service. The expansion from the main building was made this spring to relieve the congestion there.
Bowman and Tanner’s sporting goods and electrical appliance store, 709 W. Main, will not be ready to open the new eastern half of the salesroom for a while due to difficulties in obtaining necessary equipment and merchandise. However, they are going ahead as fast as possible, planning on an opening of the electrical appliances part later.
Wohlwend’s Mobil Gas Service Station, 801 W. Main, is expanding its facilities and moving its corner gas pumps farther west. This is being done in order to provide room for the safety island the state will build on that corner when it widens North Court St. Will Wohlwend said that a 70 ft. by 30 ft. concrete drive to the west had been put in to take care of the shift. The frame house next door was moved away and the adjoining lot purchased so that storage tanks holding 6,000 gallons of gasoline could be buried.
Construction of a paint and body shop by the Wohlwend Motor and Equipment Co. at the intersection of W. Main and N. Court St. next to their present building was started a couple of weeks ago. Another month is expected to be taken for completion, Lawrence Wohlwend said. He built the first part of his garage and auto sales room earlier this spring.
An enclosed wash and grease rack is being constructed at Wide Oil Station, 922 W. Main. The building, which was started April 1, will be 30 ft. by 30 ft. The service station has added car polishing to its services to the public.
Monroe’s Cleaners, 107 W. Main, is planning to occupy the adjoining building formerly leased to the Dixie Barbeque, Charles Monroe revealed today. He said that the increased pressure of business has piled so heavily on the present establishment that more room is absolutely required. Plans call for gradual improvement of the building depending on the availability of materials and labor. The two buildings will be connected by an archway inside to facilitate operations.
Hasting’s and Angell’s new typewriter agency has been located since last month at 711 W. Main, second door rear of Vinson and Chamness Tavern, across the tracks from the C. & E. I. Depot. They carry adding machines, cash registers, and secretary equipment, maintaining repair service.
(Article in Marion Daily Republican, June 13,1946)