Marion, A Thriving Town of Mercantile Establishments in 1926

This interesting article is from The Crittenden Press, Oct. 22, 1926.  Things were looks promising for the town of Marion.

Located in a beautiful valley, with just enough gently rolling hillsides to enhace its natural beauty, the little city is an attractive one. 

It is becoming and promises to continue to grown and become more attractive so as the residents, both native and adopted will continue to want to live here.  Her business enterprises are as thriving and as varied in their field of activity as are found in any community.

• Banking Institutions.  The banking institutions are both splendid ones.  The Marion Bank stands on the southeast corner of the intersection of Main and Carlisle.  (now The People's Bank).    The officers of the Marion Bank are:  J. W. Blue, president; Sam Gugenheim, vice president; T. J . Yandell, cashier; Katherine Yandell Runyan, J. V. Threlkeld and Orville Lamb, assistant cashiers; Virginia Flanary Vaughan, bookkeeper.
  
• The Farmers Bank and Trust Company stands on the northwest corner of Main and Carlisle and is the youngest of the two banks.  The building it now occupies, while not a very old one, has been recently remodeled and enlarged.  The officers of the Farmers Bank and Trust Company are: W. T. McConnell, president; R. F. Wheeler and C. C. Wheeler, vice presidents; O. S. Denny, cashier; Hollis C. Franklin, N. G. Guess and May Cook, assistant cashiers; Melba Williams, bookkeeper.
• Dry Goods Stores - The Yandell-Gugenheim Dry Good Company; J. H. Mays and Sons, The McConnell Dry Good Store; The Carnahan Company; Taylor and Company; The H.V. Stone Company.

•  Hardware - Two hardware stores are at present doing business in town.  The T. H. Cochran and Company hardware firm, located on Main Street, now consists of T. H. Cochran and L. E. Crider.  The assistants in the store now are Miss Clara Nunn, bookkeeper, and Dow Little salesman.
• The Marion Hardware and Grocery Company devote one side of their building to their stock of hardware and the other to the grocery department.  The firm members are C. A. Daughtrey, E. F. Sullenger and W. D. Sulleger.  Mrs. Lee Mose is bookkeeper and Gabe Wathen asists as salesman.  The store is located on Bellville Street.
• Hotel and Restaurants - Marion at the present has only one hotel, that being found aequate to the needs of the town.  A. S. Cannan is the owner and manager.  He has added to the original brick hotel on Carlisle the former Woods residence on the corner of Carlisle Street.  
• The Sunrise Cafe occupies one section of the newly erected A. M. Shelby building on Bellville Street.  Guy G ivens is the propietor and has been in business at his new place only a short while although he is experienced in that business.
• The newer of the two restaurants is the Marion Cafe, J. A. Elder, proprietor. Mr. Elder's business is located in Miss Mary Cameron's building on Main Street.  The building was formerly occupied by the Babb Cafe, owned by A. C. Babb.  Mr. Elder, the present manager is also police judge.

These are just a few of the many store that were located in  Marion in 1926.