Shovelbuck
Active Member
This is a bit off topic but it's about old time traditional values, people and tools.
Back when I was a young boy, growing up in Marquette Nebraska, there was a Mom and Pop grocery store. Although I was between the ages of 5 and 10 when Harry and Flo ran the place, I still remember them and the store very well. They were the type of people that would slip a kid a piece of candy from a jar when your mom wasn't looking and give you a wink.
We lived only a block away from the store and from the time I was 5 or so, I would go to the store with a list and give to Harry or Flo to get for me to take home. They would happily get the items and put them on my folks bill. Sometimes they would be out of something and would call home to either Mom or Dad to see if there was something else that would work. Back then the phone system, if you had one was a party line. Anybody could be listening in, wondering what the ointment was for.
Being a small town store also meant that Harry was also a butcher. He'd cut up meat in a back room and there was a cooler showcasing some fresh cuts.
Sadly, when Harry died, the store was too much for Flo to run so it was closed. Shortly after, an auction was held to sell off the equipment. My father went to the auction and bought Harry's Remington knives, Cleaver, and steel. When Dad passed away I made sure that these items were not put on the auction and are now in my collection.
I should of put something in the photo for size reference but the knives blades are over 12 inches long. The cleaver is huge also and the back of it is about 3/8 inch thick. As you can see the blades seen a lot of use in Harry's hands. I've cut up a few deer using them and I'll tell you this, they just don't make steel like that anymore.
Going to the general store as a boy is a fond memory that I hope never fades.
Back when I was a young boy, growing up in Marquette Nebraska, there was a Mom and Pop grocery store. Although I was between the ages of 5 and 10 when Harry and Flo ran the place, I still remember them and the store very well. They were the type of people that would slip a kid a piece of candy from a jar when your mom wasn't looking and give you a wink.
We lived only a block away from the store and from the time I was 5 or so, I would go to the store with a list and give to Harry or Flo to get for me to take home. They would happily get the items and put them on my folks bill. Sometimes they would be out of something and would call home to either Mom or Dad to see if there was something else that would work. Back then the phone system, if you had one was a party line. Anybody could be listening in, wondering what the ointment was for.
Being a small town store also meant that Harry was also a butcher. He'd cut up meat in a back room and there was a cooler showcasing some fresh cuts.
Sadly, when Harry died, the store was too much for Flo to run so it was closed. Shortly after, an auction was held to sell off the equipment. My father went to the auction and bought Harry's Remington knives, Cleaver, and steel. When Dad passed away I made sure that these items were not put on the auction and are now in my collection.
I should of put something in the photo for size reference but the knives blades are over 12 inches long. The cleaver is huge also and the back of it is about 3/8 inch thick. As you can see the blades seen a lot of use in Harry's hands. I've cut up a few deer using them and I'll tell you this, they just don't make steel like that anymore.
Going to the general store as a boy is a fond memory that I hope never fades.
Last edited:
