04 June 2011

Grandma The Shopkeeper With Dad In The Doorway


My grandmother, Beatrice (Cameron) Powers, was a shopkeeper.  The store was attached to my grandparents' house on busy Corunna Road in Flint Township, Genesee County, Michigan.  During my childhood the storefront was just a big, nearly empty room that was perfect for sleepovers. 

That's my dad (Richard N. Powers) and my grandmother pictured above in the store entrance.

Legend has it that Flint actress Nancy Kovack used to walk past the store (did she ever go in?) on her way to and from school.

3 comments:

GrannyPam said...

What did she sell in the shop? Hate to press, but I feel like I only heard part of the story. Any black Licorice? That's my favorite!

PalmsRV said...

GrannyPam, I know she sold toilet paper because it was 20 cents and a customer told her that it cost too much; Hamady's (the newest grocery store in town) had it on sale at 4/$1.00. Don't know if those were the correct prices for the day, but I remember the concept as told by my aunt. My grandmother told the customer that she should buy her t.p. at Hamady's then.

I'll have to ask my aunt if she sold black licorice -- the store was closed before I was born so I didn't get to shop for any goodies.

Thanks for asking!

Cathy

PalmsRV said...

GrannyPam,

My aunt doesn't remember whether or not licorice was sold at her mother's store. There was a candy counter, though, according to my aunt.