Anybody remember Piatts' Market? I don't. I remember when that was Ferrall's Auto Supply Store at that Main Street location. Today it is the home of the New Life Worship Center.
Taken in either 1946 0r 1947 the store was decorated for Christmas. This is another photograph from the Luella Thompson collection recently donated to the Wellsville Historical Society.
The female clerks in the foreground are Joanne Piatt (left) and Frances Holcomb. In the center background, near the front door, are Charlie (C.D.) Piatt and Thomas Piatt.
Comments on the history of this market would be greatly appreciated. Anybody know when it got started or when it closed? Thanks Brassy for letting us share this picture.
ole nib
8 comments:
My good friend Helen called yesterday to share her memories of the Piatt Bros. Market. She was a school mate of Charlie's daughter Betty. Helen told me the Piatt brothers - C.D. & Tom - built that building, probably sometime in the 1930s.
Thanks Helen.
nib
Nib,
My grandparents owned Piatt's Market and Joan (pronounced JoAnn)Piatt Joy was my mother.At one time, it was part of the chain of "Clover Farm Stores" - which I think was a regional chain. My great uncle Clyde operated the hardware store next door, which was at one time, connected to the grocery by a doorway between the buildings. My grandfather, Tom Piatt Sr. retired around 1973 or 74 and closed the store. Back then, you could call and give your grocery list over the phone and have everything delivered to your door. My mom tells stories of groceries being delivered by rowboat during one of the big floods when folks were forced into the upper stories of their homes and could not get out to buy food. My grandmother, Nelle, helped out at the store and was the bookeeper when she wasn't busy with school (she taught at McDonald for many years). To this day, I can remember the way the old wooden floors creaked and the smell of sawdust which they put on the floor after they cleaned the meat department. The store was robbed many times over the years. Once, they even took the delivery van which was found later that day near route 39, I think, with the store's safe in the back. We have lots of family photos showing the store over the years, but I don't think I've ever seen this one. Even better, it has our late mother in it. Thanks so much for posting it - it means a lot to my sisters and I.
Nancy - Thank you so much for your comments. Being from the other end of town I wasn't allowed that far downtown. Somewhere in the cob webs of my mind I remember the Clover Leaf brand.
Phoning in orders must have been standard. When I was in the early grades I had to stop daily at Turner's Market on Main St. to see if my mother had called in anything for me to pick up on my way home. She would settle up the bill on pay day.
Looking at the front of the building on Main was the hardware store to the left? The folks at New Life have that open now to the old store.
nib
Yep. The hardware store was to the left of the market, going towards 15th street. And I believe next to the hardware store was Vaughn (sp?)McMorrow's drug store.When I was very young I recall that part of Main street as being rather busy, with several other shops and bars along there.
By the way, as a former Wellsvillian who has lived in Columbus for almost 30 years, I love keeping up with home through your blog. Thanks for all the good info and keep up the good work!!
Ironically, my mom was married to a Tom Piatt in Washington, Pa. but doubtful the same one. I have a half brother also named Tom Piatt but he, too, is from Washington.
I lived in Youngstown as a child and can remember groceries being delivered to the house and my mom having a bill at the grocery store that was paid on pay day.
Sure can't see sometimes how our lives today, with all our technology, are better than they were then.
Nancy - What use to be the hardware store is now part of the church and their outreach mission. It's looks like a clothes store but believe anything they have is free to those in need. They (New Life Worship & Bishop Rutter) are an asset to the Wellsville community. That doorway you mentioned is now reopened to their chapel.
That part of Main St. use to be a thriving business section, especially back in the days when the railroad yards were across the street. From what I read on the ville history the whole lower end of the village was built up from the late 1800s onward for the support of the railroad workers.
Thanks for your kind words.
Jobob - I knew of a Tom Piatt - God rest his soul, he left us not long ago - from this area that was a bricklayer. I think he was related to the Wellsville Piatts. Maybe Nancy can help us there.
nib
The Tom Piatt you're speaking of, (who was a bricklayer) was, indeed, my uncle. He was the son of Tom and Nelle Piatt, Sr. who owned Piatt's market and was my mother's only sibling.He passed away last year. One of his sons is also a bricklayer.
I don't recall any mention of relatives that lived in Washington, PA, so I can't say if there's any connection.
Wishing your son a speedy recovery, Nib.
I knew a carpenter that often worked with Tom who use to say if you want the brick done right you wanted to get Tom Piatt for the job.
I'm acquainted with Tom's grand daughter that works in health care.
nib
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