Tuesday, February 11, 2020

Marion Losing Businesses


Within the last month there have been two more local businesses that have closed their doors, Pizza Hut, which had been here many years, and Anna Mae's on Main, restaurant, closed this week.  

Marion is left now with only one Grocery Store, Food Giant.   At one time, in the 1980's, I can remember 5 grocery stores and they all had a good business. There was Gene's IGA, Sureway, Save-A-Lot, West Side Grocery and East Side Grocery. 

After growing up here and remembering Marion Main Street and all the stores full and busy it's hard to see so many of these buildings empty and deteriorating as they will, when left empty and unused.  I'm afraid it is the sign of the times as people don't need the small town shopping as they once did.  Too mobile and too easy to buy off the internet.

From an ad in The Crittenden Press dated Dec 1977 there was a list of Merchants that posted their hours for that month.  Many were staying open until 8 p.m. for shoppers.

Only 8 of these stores are still open today.  They are * Eighty-Eighty Dip, The Flower Shop (now Botanicals Flowers Shop), Marion Auto Parts, Marion True Value, Hodge Outdoor Sports
Johnson Electric-Furniture, Louise's Flowers, Sureway Food Store (now Food Giant).
  • Ben Franklin
  • Byford's Store
  • Children's World
  • City Drug Co.
  • Eight-Eight Dip *
  • T. H. Cochran & Co.
  • The Emporium
  • The Flower Shop *
  •  Marion Shoe Store
  • Marion Style Shop
  • Marion Tot and Teen 
  • Holeman's jewelry
  • Hunt's Dept Store
  • Johnson Electric-Furniture *
  • Louise's Flowers *
  • Gifts and Things
  • Goad Studio & Framing
  • Nelson's Pharmacy
  • Sears Catalog Store
  • Smitty's Men's Shop
  • Western Auto Store
  • Hodge Outdoor Sports *
  • T & W Electric
  • Tresslar's
  • Marion True Value *
  • Marion Food Center
  • Marion Auto Parts  *
  • Kwik-Pic Market
  • Gene's IGA Foodliner
  • Sureway Food Store *
  • Westside Market

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