Post by John on Nov 3, 2005 21:10:30 GMT -6
A post on another forum about what Streator needs has inspired me to take a walk down Main Street and just see what is missing.
At the top of the bridge I left my grandfather off at the American Legion where he always has a few beers with the old WWI vets. I head for town and past the wonderful aroma of the burgers grilling at the Dog-N-Suds Drive In. I glance across the street at the tall building that houses the Streator Clean Towel Service. There's my neighbor filling up at Danko's Standard Service. I zip on down past Nick's Auto Repair and Lucky's Body Shop. There is another gas station across the street. I go past Beckmann Motor Co. Collins Motors, the Ford dealer, is right next door. There's Rizzo's Barber Shop across the street. The Stork Club and the Eagles Club are just before Rokey's corner. I am now standing by the Plumb Hotel waiting to cross Bloomington Street.
Well, there's Milady's Clothing Store, I'll skip that but I must stop into George's Sweet Shop for a chocolate covered caramel on a stick! Across the street is Ullom's House of Color paint store. And Gamble's Department Store. Oh, and the I.T. Book store is my favorite for school supplies. Then there's the women's stores, Kristal's and Opdycke's. Streator Decorating has a nice toyland in their basement! Streator Dry Goods always looks like a HUGE store. And there is Ritchie Furniture. Well, I'm almost to Park Street but not till I go past one of the largest department stores in town, Montgomery Ward. My grandfather worked there for years. I remember the toys, appliances and sporting goods in the basement, the clothing on the first floor and the furniture up on the second floor. And across from Wards is First Federal Savings and Loan.
I get across Park Street and always look in the front door of the Union National Bank and see that huge vault door swung open. Across the street is Scharfenberg Bros. Mens Store. I shop there sometimes or a few doors down at Iskowich's. Ah, there's Frank Jeweler's. Another great smell as I pass the Federal Bakery. I'll have to cross the street to go to Hill's Bros. for a cherry coke. Remember the private little dark booths with the little juke boxes on the wall? Good ole Ray's Paint Store, that place will never change. The Fashion Shoe Store and Kresge's are next. Leslie Shoes and Lloyd's Surplus are on the north side. I like all the army surplus and camping equipment at Lloyd's. Goslin Drugs always had all kinds of camera and photo supplies. Another women's store? Yep, it's Paris Cloak. Jack & Jill's is the place for children's clothing. Wright's cigar store is a hangout for some of the men.
I am now crossing Monroe Street. If I had time, I'd stop in Miller's or Stacy's for a game of pool. Across the street, I see Ford Hopkins Drug Store, they have a lunch counter also. Next is Thiedohr Drugs, they have candy too! Oops, I missed Kinney Shoe store. I can't pass Trapp's Tavern without smelling that famous roast beef. As I walk on, I notice that the upstairs of all these downtown buildings are also full of tennants. There are doctors, dentists and lawyer offices all above the downtown stores. Oh boy, I have reached Murphy's. I must stop in and check out all the candy by the pound! There are a couple more jewelry stores, Kerr's and the Jewel Box. There's where I buy my shoes, at Bowman's. I like to look in the X-Ray machine at my feet. Here it is, VanLoon's. I have bought all my Schwinn bicycles here. And all the hobby supplies and models. Another jewelry store, Carew's. Thrifty Drugs, that place will be here for awhile. Look, across the street, there is yet another major department store, J. C. Penneys! Oh wow, next to Penney's is the Northern Illinois Gas Company Office, right here on Main Street!
Well I might as well walk one more block. I'll cross Vermillion Street to the new home of the Streator National Bank. I remember when it was across the street, just north of the Plumb Theatre. The Murray Building is filled with tenants on all 5 floors! That will be another trip someday, to name all those tennants! But I do remember going to an upper floor to have Larry do some tailor work on a pair of pants. On the north side is Curran's Mens Wear. Next to them is good old Ace Hardware. I hope this store lasts forever, I need it. There's Rashid's, they always have the clothes to fit me. If not I could go next door to Mushro's. There's a couple of grocery stores right here on Main Street too. You have Kollar's Grocery, K & R Meat Market, Grako's, and Chicago Grocer's, all in one block! There's a couple more taverns down here and Oh, there's Spiegel's catalog store!
I'm not going to walk any further right now, but if you wanted to, you could cross Sterling Street and go to the Commonwealth Edison Building, I have always known them as the Public Service Company. I see there are many more business's east of here on Main Street. We'll have to walk further down another time.
I know that in my haste I have missed many stores, but this is just a few that are here on Main Street in Streator. You could find most anything that you were looking for, from shoes to groceries, hardware to dentists, a cold beer to paying your light bill, jewelry to lawyers, automobiles to candy, a good meal to bicycles, and baked goods to beauty shops.
WAKE UP! This is 2005! You were dreaming. A lot of these buildings are gone and most are empty! Where does everyone go to shop now? Is that why these buildings are empty?
Note: This walk is circa the mid 1950s.
At the top of the bridge I left my grandfather off at the American Legion where he always has a few beers with the old WWI vets. I head for town and past the wonderful aroma of the burgers grilling at the Dog-N-Suds Drive In. I glance across the street at the tall building that houses the Streator Clean Towel Service. There's my neighbor filling up at Danko's Standard Service. I zip on down past Nick's Auto Repair and Lucky's Body Shop. There is another gas station across the street. I go past Beckmann Motor Co. Collins Motors, the Ford dealer, is right next door. There's Rizzo's Barber Shop across the street. The Stork Club and the Eagles Club are just before Rokey's corner. I am now standing by the Plumb Hotel waiting to cross Bloomington Street.
Well, there's Milady's Clothing Store, I'll skip that but I must stop into George's Sweet Shop for a chocolate covered caramel on a stick! Across the street is Ullom's House of Color paint store. And Gamble's Department Store. Oh, and the I.T. Book store is my favorite for school supplies. Then there's the women's stores, Kristal's and Opdycke's. Streator Decorating has a nice toyland in their basement! Streator Dry Goods always looks like a HUGE store. And there is Ritchie Furniture. Well, I'm almost to Park Street but not till I go past one of the largest department stores in town, Montgomery Ward. My grandfather worked there for years. I remember the toys, appliances and sporting goods in the basement, the clothing on the first floor and the furniture up on the second floor. And across from Wards is First Federal Savings and Loan.
I get across Park Street and always look in the front door of the Union National Bank and see that huge vault door swung open. Across the street is Scharfenberg Bros. Mens Store. I shop there sometimes or a few doors down at Iskowich's. Ah, there's Frank Jeweler's. Another great smell as I pass the Federal Bakery. I'll have to cross the street to go to Hill's Bros. for a cherry coke. Remember the private little dark booths with the little juke boxes on the wall? Good ole Ray's Paint Store, that place will never change. The Fashion Shoe Store and Kresge's are next. Leslie Shoes and Lloyd's Surplus are on the north side. I like all the army surplus and camping equipment at Lloyd's. Goslin Drugs always had all kinds of camera and photo supplies. Another women's store? Yep, it's Paris Cloak. Jack & Jill's is the place for children's clothing. Wright's cigar store is a hangout for some of the men.
I am now crossing Monroe Street. If I had time, I'd stop in Miller's or Stacy's for a game of pool. Across the street, I see Ford Hopkins Drug Store, they have a lunch counter also. Next is Thiedohr Drugs, they have candy too! Oops, I missed Kinney Shoe store. I can't pass Trapp's Tavern without smelling that famous roast beef. As I walk on, I notice that the upstairs of all these downtown buildings are also full of tennants. There are doctors, dentists and lawyer offices all above the downtown stores. Oh boy, I have reached Murphy's. I must stop in and check out all the candy by the pound! There are a couple more jewelry stores, Kerr's and the Jewel Box. There's where I buy my shoes, at Bowman's. I like to look in the X-Ray machine at my feet. Here it is, VanLoon's. I have bought all my Schwinn bicycles here. And all the hobby supplies and models. Another jewelry store, Carew's. Thrifty Drugs, that place will be here for awhile. Look, across the street, there is yet another major department store, J. C. Penneys! Oh wow, next to Penney's is the Northern Illinois Gas Company Office, right here on Main Street!
Well I might as well walk one more block. I'll cross Vermillion Street to the new home of the Streator National Bank. I remember when it was across the street, just north of the Plumb Theatre. The Murray Building is filled with tenants on all 5 floors! That will be another trip someday, to name all those tennants! But I do remember going to an upper floor to have Larry do some tailor work on a pair of pants. On the north side is Curran's Mens Wear. Next to them is good old Ace Hardware. I hope this store lasts forever, I need it. There's Rashid's, they always have the clothes to fit me. If not I could go next door to Mushro's. There's a couple of grocery stores right here on Main Street too. You have Kollar's Grocery, K & R Meat Market, Grako's, and Chicago Grocer's, all in one block! There's a couple more taverns down here and Oh, there's Spiegel's catalog store!
I'm not going to walk any further right now, but if you wanted to, you could cross Sterling Street and go to the Commonwealth Edison Building, I have always known them as the Public Service Company. I see there are many more business's east of here on Main Street. We'll have to walk further down another time.
I know that in my haste I have missed many stores, but this is just a few that are here on Main Street in Streator. You could find most anything that you were looking for, from shoes to groceries, hardware to dentists, a cold beer to paying your light bill, jewelry to lawyers, automobiles to candy, a good meal to bicycles, and baked goods to beauty shops.
WAKE UP! This is 2005! You were dreaming. A lot of these buildings are gone and most are empty! Where does everyone go to shop now? Is that why these buildings are empty?
Note: This walk is circa the mid 1950s.