Fire at S. H. Kress & Co. store — 6/14/1962 — #41541_1
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Photograph Copyright Anderson & Middleton Company
United States — Washington (State) — Aberdeen
S. H. Kress & Co.
Notation on the back of one print reads " HS Kress store June 14, 1962 ; 12:22am Verbal alarm by Oran Johnson ; 12:35am General alarm ; 1:11 am Mutual Aid".
See image # 42294_1 for a photograph of the rebuilt and remodeled store interior taken after the fire depicted here.
Thanks to Barbara J. Decker, who notes: "You will never know how many memories the Kress lunchonette photos brought back...it really touched me. I was the food service manager from October 1962 until 1971. Frank Childers was of course my boss and it was all a great learning experience. These pictures bring back a lot of wonderful thoughts of the people that worked for me over the years. Recent news [2009] of the passing at the age of 96 of the gentleman who guided us, Frank Childers, reminded me that we all knew what degree of trouble we were in by how red his face was! It was a pleasure to work with every one. Thanks for the memories and God Bless"
Thanks to Sam Talley, who adds: "In the late 1950's I worked here as a dish washer at the lunch counter. At 15 years old I had to claim to be 16, the minimum age. I earned $1.05/hour and made $37/week. The counter had twenty-four seats and was always busy serving roast beef and hot turkey sandwiches, pie, coffee, soda fountain items, etc. The food was cooked there and was excellent. Fay, the manager, ran a tight ship, but did an excellent job. My favorite was grilled cheese sandwiches. The gals kept me well supplied as a job perk. There were about five waitresses. The main store got a very unusual item for those days , a transistor radio about the size of a pack of cigarettes. The cost was $30 - alot of money back then. I bought one and still have it."
Gary Gozart adds “I worked one summer at the lunch counter as a dishwasher too. It was my first "real" job and I remember running upstairs to the office to get my pay envelope. What a thrill, and all cash too. What I remember most about working there was that we were to have the kitchen cleaned, pots and pans washed, the lunch counter dishes cleaned and the floor mopped -- all by closing time! We left many a washer load of dirty dishes for the next day. I also remember the great people who worked there at the time.”
