My wife and I were discussion old Memphis memories and for some reason grocery stores came up and we cant recall. There was a big on old German Town road on the way down to Olive Branc that was huge but didnt stay open long.
thanks
Yet as the story of Henry Seesel shows, the path toward economic prosperity was not often simple or straight forward. Seesel came to the United States from Bavaria in 1842. He first settled in Mississippi, where he peddled around Natchez and Vicksburg. After getting sick, he decided to move north to Cincinnati, where he worked for several months as a trunk maker. He later moved to Lexington, Kentucky to work as a store clerk and then as a peddler in the area. After returning to Bavaria to check on his family and get married, Seesel settled in New Orleans in 1848. After peddling unsuccessfully in the city for three months, he moved back to Vicksburg where he bought a grocery store. This first store failed, and he returned to peddling in Mississippi and Louisiana. He then opened a store in Richmond, Louisiana in 1853, but a flood washed away most of his customers’ farms, causing his business to fail. Henry then started a beef cattle business with his brother-in-law in Milliken’s Bend, Louisiana. In 1857, he decided to seek greater economic opportunity by moving to Memphis. After owning a beer saloon for eighteen months, Seesel got back into the meat business. This last endeavor finally proved to be successful, as his butcher shop grew into a successful grocery store, and eventually a chain of grocery stores throughout Memphis. Seesel’s long and winding road to Memphis was fairly typical of Jewish immigrants, who often moved from town to town, and business to business, seeking financial success.
good stuff:
http://www.isjl.org/history/archive/tn/memphis.html
It just hit me...
The grocery chain grew to 12 stores and kept its name through several changes in ownership. But in 2002 St. Louis-based Schnuck Markets Inc. bought the stores from Albertson's and dropped the Seessel's name
(12-21-2009 01:48 PM)ACESFULL Wrote: [ -> ]My wife and I were discussion old Memphis memories and for some reason grocery stores came up and we cant recall. There was a big on old German Town road on the way down to Olive Branc that was huge but didnt stay open long.
thanks
That building is no longer a grocery store. It has been converted to a school.
The Schnuck's Market (C-store w/gas) is still there out in front.
(12-21-2009 02:18 PM)poppaslaw Wrote: [ -> ] (12-21-2009 01:48 PM)ACESFULL Wrote: [ -> ]My wife and I were discussion old Memphis memories and for some reason grocery stores came up and we cant recall. There was a big on old German Town road on the way down to Olive Branc that was huge but didnt stay open long.
thanks
That building is no longer a grocery store. It has been converted to a school.
The Schnuck's Market (C-store w/gas) is still there out in front.
Is the Seessels on Poplar still there? I recall that being a big store and was close to a Home Depot...
(12-21-2009 02:20 PM)ACESFULL Wrote: [ -> ] (12-21-2009 02:18 PM)poppaslaw Wrote: [ -> ] (12-21-2009 01:48 PM)ACESFULL Wrote: [ -> ]My wife and I were discussion old Memphis memories and for some reason grocery stores came up and we cant recall. There was a big on old German Town road on the way down to Olive Branc that was huge but didnt stay open long.
thanks
That building is no longer a grocery store. It has been converted to a school.
The Schnuck's Market (C-store w/gas) is still there out in front.
Is the Seessels on Poplar still there? I recall that being a big store and was close to a Home Depot...
it is now Schnuck's....speaking of old grocery chains, my first job as a teenager was at the old Big Star on the corner of Quince and White Station. I don't think those exist anymore either.
(12-21-2009 02:03 PM)TigerInPrisonWithALaptop Wrote: [ -> ]Yet as the story of Henry Seesel shows, the path toward economic prosperity was not often simple or straight forward. Seesel came to the United States from Bavaria in 1842. He first settled in Mississippi, where he peddled around Natchez and Vicksburg. After getting sick, he decided to move north to Cincinnati, where he worked for several months as a trunk maker. He later moved to Lexington, Kentucky to work as a store clerk and then as a peddler in the area. After returning to Bavaria to check on his family and get married, Seesel settled in New Orleans in 1848. After peddling unsuccessfully in the city for three months, he moved back to Vicksburg where he bought a grocery store. This first store failed, and he returned to peddling in Mississippi and Louisiana. He then opened a store in Richmond, Louisiana in 1853, but a flood washed away most of his customers’ farms, causing his business to fail. Henry then started a beef cattle business with his brother-in-law in Milliken’s Bend, Louisiana. In 1857, he decided to seek greater economic opportunity by moving to Memphis. After owning a beer saloon for eighteen months, Seesel got back into the meat business. This last endeavor finally proved to be successful, as his butcher shop grew into a successful grocery store, and eventually a chain of grocery stores throughout Memphis. Seesel’s long and winding road to Memphis was fairly typical of Jewish immigrants, who often moved from town to town, and business to business, seeking financial success.
good stuff:
http://www.isjl.org/history/archive/tn/memphis.html
That's an excellent historical site that I didn't know existed. I have printed off a copy for my 92-year-old dad to enjoy. Thanks, TIPWAL!
(12-21-2009 02:35 PM)k2tigers Wrote: [ -> ] (12-21-2009 02:20 PM)ACESFULL Wrote: [ -> ] (12-21-2009 02:18 PM)poppaslaw Wrote: [ -> ] (12-21-2009 01:48 PM)ACESFULL Wrote: [ -> ]My wife and I were discussion old Memphis memories and for some reason grocery stores came up and we cant recall. There was a big on old German Town road on the way down to Olive Branc that was huge but didnt stay open long.
thanks
That building is no longer a grocery store. It has been converted to a school.
The Schnuck's Market (C-store w/gas) is still there out in front.
Is the Seessels on Poplar still there? I recall that being a big store and was close to a Home Depot...
it is now Schnuck's....speaking of old grocery chains, my first job as a teenager was at the old Big Star on the corner of Quince and White Station. I don't think those exist anymore either.
How about the GIANT Food at the corner of Mendenhall and Winchester back in the day. They literally had a giant grocer statue in the parking lot.
Then we got Sewell/Allen Big Star at Hickory Hill and Winchester. Deposit coke bottles, Hyde Park canned goods and BETA MAX rentals!!!!
(12-21-2009 04:00 PM)poppaslaw Wrote: [ -> ] (12-21-2009 02:35 PM)k2tigers Wrote: [ -> ] (12-21-2009 02:20 PM)ACESFULL Wrote: [ -> ] (12-21-2009 02:18 PM)poppaslaw Wrote: [ -> ] (12-21-2009 01:48 PM)ACESFULL Wrote: [ -> ]My wife and I were discussion old Memphis memories and for some reason grocery stores came up and we cant recall. There was a big on old German Town road on the way down to Olive Branc that was huge but didnt stay open long.
thanks
That building is no longer a grocery store. It has been converted to a school.
The Schnuck's Market (C-store w/gas) is still there out in front.
Is the Seessels on Poplar still there? I recall that being a big store and was close to a Home Depot...
it is now Schnuck's....speaking of old grocery chains, my first job as a teenager was at the old Big Star on the corner of Quince and White Station. I don't think those exist anymore either.
How about the GIANT Food at the corner of Mendenhall and Winchester back in the day. They literally had a giant grocer statue in the parking lot.
Then we got Sewell/Allen Big Star at Hickory Hill and Winchester. Deposit coke bottles, Hyde Park canned goods and BETA MAX rentals!!!!
Same thing for the one in Rockin' Raleigh
(12-21-2009 04:00 PM)poppaslaw Wrote: [ -> ] (12-21-2009 02:35 PM)k2tigers Wrote: [ -> ] (12-21-2009 02:20 PM)ACESFULL Wrote: [ -> ] (12-21-2009 02:18 PM)poppaslaw Wrote: [ -> ] (12-21-2009 01:48 PM)ACESFULL Wrote: [ -> ]My wife and I were discussion old Memphis memories and for some reason grocery stores came up and we cant recall. There was a big on old German Town road on the way down to Olive Branc that was huge but didnt stay open long.
thanks
That building is no longer a grocery store. It has been converted to a school.
The Schnuck's Market (C-store w/gas) is still there out in front.
Is the Seessels on Poplar still there? I recall that being a big store and was close to a Home Depot...
it is now Schnuck's....speaking of old grocery chains, my first job as a teenager was at the old Big Star on the corner of Quince and White Station. I don't think those exist anymore either.
How about the GIANT Food at the corner of Mendenhall and Winchester back in the day. They literally had a giant grocer statue in the parking lot.
Then we got Sewell/Allen Big Star at Hickory Hill and Winchester. Deposit coke bottles, Hyde Park canned goods and BETA MAX rentals!!!!
I remember that thing. You remember the Big Boy at Shoney's in Eastgate? It sat where the Steinmart is now.
I still miss the lemon butter pies that Seessels bakery sold. Those things were the best...all of their __________ butter pies were good.
(12-23-2009 12:17 AM)eltigre Wrote: [ -> ]I still miss the lemon butter pies that Seessels bakery sold. Those things were the best...all of their __________ butter pies were good.
oh boy! I used to buy those things and eat them in one sitting. Those were awesome.
(12-23-2009 10:10 AM)k2tigers Wrote: [ -> ] (12-23-2009 12:17 AM)eltigre Wrote: [ -> ]I still miss the lemon butter pies that Seessels bakery sold. Those things were the best...all of their __________ butter pies were good.
oh boy! I used to buy those things and eat them in one sitting. Those were awesome.
Art Seessel bought the first CD player sold in Memphis, in 1979. An Hitachi. $800 and heavy as an anchor. He had to go to Dallas to buy CDs for it, I think he paid about $25 each for them. I know he bought about 20 or so.
Sisco Silver Savers No. 7
Macon and National don't know if it's still there.
A friend's family used to own the Liberty Cash grocery (might still be called that) just east of the Forum years ago.
Gold mine.
Another friend's family owned a Weona market in an urban neighborhood.
Gold mine.
(12-23-2009 10:10 AM)k2tigers Wrote: [ -> ] (12-23-2009 12:17 AM)eltigre Wrote: [ -> ]I still miss the lemon butter pies that Seessels bakery sold. Those things were the best...all of their __________ butter pies were good.
oh boy! I used to buy those things and eat them in one sitting. Those were awesome.
The lemon and chocolate were worth fighting over.
(12-21-2009 01:55 PM)mairving Wrote: [ -> ]Montesi's?
I think there is still on Montesi's left on summer ave. just west of National.