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Old store was community's heart

Sunday, October 12, 2008
(Updated 3:00 am)

Several things about Case's Store are uncertain, such as when the store was built and when T. E. "Ed" Case started operating the store.

Herbert Scarlette remembered hearing the store was formerly a livery stable and when it was made into a store, a floor had to be put into the building.

It could have been the livery stable run by Hill and Miles in 1912. Their livery stable was near the depot, and they advertised that they would carry passengers anywhere they wanted to go.

T. E. Case and his wife, Dexie, were running the store by 1930 and perhaps earlier. Helen Jones Angel and Jimmy Harrell remember Mrs. Case helping in the store. Dewey Trogdon and Jimmy Harrell both remember the ladder that was used to reach items on the top shelves; it was on rollers and could be moved where it was needed. Zeb Jones remembers Oren Lloyd, who worked in the store for many years, sometimes using a long pole with a hook on the end to reach items on high shelves. Dewey also remembers delivering groceries for Mr. Case to Miss Fanny Davis, Mrs. Lee Stafford and Miss Callie Allred.

The pay was sweet; Mr. Case paid off in Mr. Goodbars and Hershey bars.

"Jackie" Pegram remembers her third-grade teacher allowing the girls to go to Case's Store to spend their pennies. There were always three girls in her group, they had to go down the back street.

They loved the suckers and BB Bats. One day they wanted some candy and didn't have enough money for it, but Mr. Case let them have it anyway.

Mary Alice Wilson Pope remembers her Uncle Ed giving her suckers when she went to the store. The Cases didn't have any children.

Mary Frances Case Russell remembers going to the store with her mother. She remembers Mrs. Case saying to her mother, "You have all these children. Why don't you give me one?"

In May of 1932 there was a lot of excitement at the store. Thieves entered the building one Tuesday night and stole more than a hundred dollars worth of merchandise.

Some of the stolen goods were found and carried to the sheriff's office before the robbery was even reported.

The robbers carried off at least 30 pairs of overalls, pants, shirts, women's and men's hose, shoes, cigars, cigarettes, flashlights, an electric clock and other articles.

They were unsuccessful in their attempts to force open the safe, which was thought to contain a large sum of money.

Less exciting but of much interest was the beautiful quilt displayed in the store window in April of 1941. It was called a stamp quilt and Mrs. Case offered a prize to the person guessing the number of pieces in the quilt.

The Cases were still operating the store in March 1946. Between then and 1948, the Tuttle twins, Andrew and Austin, took over the operation of the store. Gary Long remembers helping them in the store; they sold oilcloth, had wire baskets of eggs and ground coffee for customers.

Andrew Tuttle was killed in an auto accident in October 1948 but Austin continued running the store. About 1953 or 1954, Austin and his wife, Norma, built a new store next to the old one. Tuttle's Super Market was the first modern supermarket in Summerfield. Gary Long also worked there after school, putting up stock and bagging groceries for $2 or $3 a week. Sometimes, Austin would sneak off and he and Gary would fly around all afternoon in Austin's small plane. Needless to say, that didn't make Norma too happy.

After the store was broken into several times, Norma started taking the money home in a cigar box each night and put the box in a grocery bag with the groceries on top of the box.

In 1982, Gary Long bought the store and operated it for 10 years.

Bobbie Long and Irene Clodfelter worked at the cash register for many years.

The building is still there, but is now home to Full Gospel Tabernacle Church.

The building that started out as a place to dispense groceries now dispenses spiritual food.

In addition to those mentioned, thanks to Karen Tuttle McCanless and Jane Tuttle, two of the daughters of Norma and Austin Tuttle.

 

Gladys Scarlette is a local historian, lifelong of Summerfield resident and author of two books about Summerfield.

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