EARLY BUSINESSES OF MULLEN

by Hooker County Historical Society

Entry B70 from the History of Hooker County Nebraska
with permission of the Hooker County Historical Society

Business - Early 1902-1960.

                  1902-1960

When early businesses were listed in the
Hooker County Tribune, Ads taken at ran-
dom for the purpose of recalling names of
folks that did contribute to our community
- that we were unable to contact. We
apologize for any names you may remember
and find missing.

1902 - THE CITY RESTAURANT opens
- C.P. Hicks

1904 - STREET & DRESS HATS - call
at Ladie's Bazaar just west of Hotel Hewitt
- Mrs. Sue Marcy

1905 - LIVERY, FEED, AND SALE
BARN - Kime - Truax props

1906 - BUILDERS OF CHEMICALLY
HARDENED CONCRETE BLOCKS - We
have a portable outfit - can build on location
and built any design - Carey and Wright

1907 - SANDHILLS COMMERCIAL
CO. - 25 lb. sack of flour $1.35

1907 - On account of being so far behind
with my photo work, my gallery will be closed
from this date until further notice - W.E.
Bowers

1908 - LIVERY BARN - J.B. Downing
prop

1908 - WELLS - David Spect

1908 - CITY MEAT MARKET - Wel-
din Bros

1910 - H.J. LOWE - received a car load
of farm wagons, buggies and spring wagons,
also a car of barbed wire and a number of
galvanized tanks - a good line of O.K.
Windmills

1914 - CALUMENT RESTAURANT -
J.H. Hall prop - A fine line of choice cigars,
fresh oysters, fish and game in season.

1914 - GENERAL BLACKSMITHING
- G.H. Hawley

1914 - CONTRACTOR AND BUILDER
- John D. Rock

1916 - CROXEN LAUNDRY (Tom)
south of Roseberry store

1916 - CEMENT BLOCKS AND
WORKS - Frank M. Cleavenger

1916 - CITY POOL HALL - Speck and
Rector

1917 - CITY MEAT MARKET - Eivins
& Son

1917 - MULLEN LAUNDRY - C.F.
Boyer - west of the courthouse

1917 - SODA FOUNTAIN AND
TABLES - McNess & Dietrich

1917 - DRESSMAKING - Mrs. N.A.
Drake

1918 - WATCH & JEWELRY REPAIR
- Harry Deets with McNess & Dietrich

1920 - STAR LIVERY - George Carpen-
ter

1920 - MULLEN BAKERY - Lula
Holmes

1920 - MEAT MARKET - Van Buskuh

19?? - PHOTOGRAPHER - R.S. Bark-
er

1921 - GROCERY OPENS - E.A.
Fosdick - April 1921

1921 - SPRING MILLINERY opening
March 21 - Bertha Russell

1921 - HARDING - TUCKER AUC-
TIONEERS

1921 - OLIVER'S new Restaurant and
short order business north of pool hall

1921 - POOL HALL - Roby Boyer

1921 - MULLEN BAKERY - founded
by Charlie Mooney, sold it to Mrs. Mabel
Anderson

1925 - THE LEGION CAFE - Mrs. R.T.
Weldin

1926 - THE LEGION CAFE - V.R.
Petty prop

1926 - REAL ESTATE - Theodore Folk

1927 - BETTER BREAD BAKERY -
Clyde Fosdick

1978 - BALLARD CAFE

1928 - MULLEN CASH STORE -
Wigent

1928 - HARVEY DRAY

1929 - CONFINEMENTS - Wilma
Rock

1929 - CITY MEAT MARKET - Ed
Zackry

1929 - GENERAL MERCHANDISE -
W.T. Holcomb

1929 - TIRE REPAIR - John Davis

1931 - BOWLING - Wright's Bowling
Alley in the basement

1932 - BETTER BREAD BAKERY -
Paul and Eva Long

1935 - MATERNITY HOME - Ora
Hardy

1935 - GILLESPIE SERVICE STA-
TION - John Gillespie

1935 - M.L. STONER MECHANIC

1936 - MULLEN BAKERY - C.L. Allen

1936 - WOLFENDEN SERVICE STA-
TION

1937- MOLLER BROS CAFE AND
MEAT MARKET - Dick and Bill Moller

1937 - MULLEN BAKERY - Irwin
Empfield

1938 - CITY CAFE - Callie Smith

1939 - BRENNAN'S CARPENTER &
PLUMBING SHOP

1939 - McDUFFEE MOTORS

1939 - RAINBOW BAKE SHOP - Mrs.
W.R. Figgat

1940 - WRIGHT DELICATESSEN -
reopens Duck Pin Alleys on main \oor

1942 - V.L. McCUBBIN SEC. TREAS.
NATIONAL FARM LOAN ASSOCIATION

1942 - WEBER AND BLACKSMITH -
J.C. Jones

1951 - MULLEN BAKERY - Wm.
Moller

1952 - MULLEN MACHINE SHOP -
Brewer-House props

1952 - DOOLEY DAIRY

1953 - MULLEN BAKERY - Oscar and
Zoe York

1954 - MULLEN BAKERY - Ted and
Lola Shadwinkle

1955 - STORE CLOTHING AND MU-
SIC - Morris Brothers

1955 - DRAPES AND CURTAINS -
Mrs. R.L. Reynolds

1955 - PETE'S BODY SHOP - opening
Monday Dec. 19, 1955 Chas. ` Pete' Schoene

1955 - CREWS ELECTRIC

1955 - JEWEL DINER - Marion Reed

The following was taken in part from the
Hooker County Tribune. February 14, 1919
- "S.A. Senk, for the past three years
manager of the Roseberry store, has pur-
chased the meat and grocery stock of S.E.
Pecht and will take possession of his new
business March 1st. The dry goods, shoes and
notions lines were retained by Mr. Pecht and
will be closed out at auction sale, commencing
tomorrow afternoon and continuing until the
stock is all disposed of. It is Mr. Senk's
intention to add a new stock of dry goods to
his business as soon as the room can be
arranged for properly handling same, and he
also will handle cream, butter, eggs and other
country produce.

At the Roseberry store the services of C.M.
Barnebey have been secured for the position
vacated by Mr. Senk. Mrs. Clyde Speer also
has accepted a position as saleslady in the dry
goods department, Chas. Boyer will transfer
to the new store."

From the Howker County Tribune May 13,
1937

Chester Johnson has enlarged his meat
department with an air conditioned storage
room which will keep meats purer and fresher
than any other known method. The room is
all-white finish with ample space for 1 - 1/2
tons of meat. The cooling equipment main-
tains constant, even temperature and evenly
distributes the required amount of humidity
... A slight pressure is maintained in the
storage cooler, making it impossible for any
dust, impurities or foul air to be wafted in
when the doors are opened. The air inside the
room is constantly changed and all odors are
filtered out and carried to the drain by means
of water.... The public is cordially invited
to call at the Johnson store and inspect the
new, modern meat department.

April 1939 - R.A. Moller has commenced
renovating his store room, until recently
housed his grocery and meat market, and
soon he will open to the public an additional
space to his cafe. The new improvement will
afford a new soda fountain and extra seating
arrangement. The new fountain fixtures are
of futuristic design, prominently figured in
stainless steel and porcelain accessories...

With backbar of white and natural color
combination, and the fountain, the two new
features will conspicuously dominate the
front portion of the dining room.

December 1939 - Steve Yagadich has
moved from his temporary location in the
front end of the Tribune building back to his
former location, that of the new Dr. D.A.
Walker building. Mr. Yagadich has been
located in that building for the past 17 years.
He is pleased with the new building, it has a
glass front, plenty of room in the rear and is
very attractive to the public.

Charlie Rector made a trip in April of 1902
to Anselmo, Nebraska to fill his Ice House
with Ice.

1904 - John Lee - Jeweler located in
Cudebec's Drug Store.

1908 - Mrs. John Kudrna and Minnie Bell
start a confectionary and fruit store in the
Kime Building.

1919 - "Davis and Sharman, of the new
Vulcanizing Plant, now have the machinery
and other equipment about all installed in
the basement of the Mercure Hardware store
and will be ready to start work soon. This is
an industry that had needed attention in
Mullen for some time and we are glad to see
it come forth under such competent manage-
ment. The plant is equipped with machines
capable of handling all classes of work in
casings and tubes, and Mr. Charman, who
comes to our city from Akron, Ohio, is an
expert at the work." In 1920 the VULCAN-
IZING PLANT was opened by John Davis
and later Robert Ireton in 1921. Later the
business was in the basement of Mercure and
Elliott Garage, 1931.

1920 - A new Ice Plant was built in the back
of McNess and Dietrich. This plant was used
for a number of years.

1928 - The Folks acquired the Bank Of
Mullen property, it will be occupied by Folk-
Harding Real Estate Firm. Loren Emmons
will occupy a space there also for his Jewelry
and Repair business.

1936 - C.K. Dooley had Ice Blocks for Sale
(The former ice plant was discontinued when
the McNess-Dietrich went out of business)
A Clyde Arnold Store was brought to
Mullen in September of 1934. It was managed
by Mel Condron. It was located in the
Mercure Building. The store had General
Merchandise and also dealt in hides, feeds,
cottoncake, and various other lines. The
basement stairway was removed from the
front of the building and new sidewalk was
put down. In 1939, August Arnold's Store
quit business.

April of 1938 a Potato Factory was begun
by Ernest Headrick, the business being held
in the Flour House south of Rayfield and
Long Beer Parlor.

July 1939, Mr. and Mrs. Edward Gosiniski
and 3 sons, Jerome, Ronald, and Junior of
Loup City, Nebraska, came to Mullen to set
up their equipment east of the Tribune
building, temporarily to make over old
Mattresses. This business will be here for a
few weeks and then they will move their
business to Whitman, Nebraska.

October 1953 Keith and Norma Haist
opened a Jewelry and Repair business.

J.M. `Mac' Rayfield came to the Sandhills
in 1926. He owned and operated a Gas
Transport line, was a rancher, had a Dry
Cleaning shop and was a salesman for
Mathews Chevrolet. `Mac' was the son of
Leonard and Minnie Lee Wadlow and neph-
ew of Ed Wadlow. He was born at Lesterville,
Missouri February 20, 1907. He married
Mildred Eirvins and to this union one son was
born, Mac Jr.. Mildred had a beauty shop for
a number of years. Mac died June 1, 1970.

J.A. Gibson, Sr., was Mullen Postmaster
for 34 years. He was the son of William and
Sadie Gibson, born October 13, 1893 and
came with his parents to Hooker County in
1900. He married Lucy Jeffords September
11, 1920, the daughter of Charles and Eliz-
abeth Jeffords. Lucy was born March 31,
1894. To this union 5 children were born. Jon
died January 19, 1964 and Lucy died Novem-
ber 27, 1966.

1958 - JOHNSON FEED STORE

1958 - BOB AND CLAIRE HALLOCK
DRUG

1958 - RAY'S ELECTRIC - Ray and
Lena Roudebush

1958 - MULLEN CAFE - Bud Gibson

1959 - CASH AND CARRY LUMBER -
Pete Hunt

1959 - MULLEN ELECTRIC - Joe
Dechaine, Keith Boyer

1960 - CARLSON IMPLEMENT -
John Deer Sales and Service - Jack Carlson

Lester Beeler of Cobool, Missouri was a
resident of Mullen for many years and was in
the Plumbing business in the 40's. He sold his
business to Glen Tompkins in 1951. Les was
born April 8, 1896, of a family of 4 boys and
6 girls. He married Amanda Butts in 1914 and
to this union two daughters were born. Les
died in March 25, 1967.