Two Old American Stores

Inside Two Old American Stores

First photo: This is a picture of the inside of our first American Store in 1926. It was located across from the Bayard House, right on the corner of where the fountain is today in Pell Gardens. At left is Mark Alcorn and next to him is Lewis Collins, Sr. Mr. Collins would later open a fine grocery store on the North Side’s Biddle Street. We can thank Lewis Collins, Jr. for this very special photo.

Second photo: Here’s a circa 1945 picture of the inside of our American Store on Bohemia Avenue and Second Street. It’s the same building as what is now our Town Hall. I remember running around this store in the late forties. My mother took me and my brother in here when she bought her week’s groceries. At that time, more recently, the meat counter had been moved to the back of the store. The man in the middle is Frank Bristow (a “colorful” town character) and at his left is Nelly Reed.