Our Past Is Present November 10, 2017

November 10, 2017

            This is “Our Past Is Present” from the Geary County Historical Society.

            Today’s story is about Elmer Hoyle and his grocery business.  In 1947 he celebrated his 25^th year in the grocery business.  Mr. Hoyle came to Kansas with his parents, who settled on a farm near Dwight in 1886.  From the time when he was first married, he farmed  - in a small way, but in 1922 he moved to Junction City where he bought the Leavell grocery store at 10^th and Washington Streets.  Mr. Hoyle recalled on the occasion of his 25 anniversary that in those days grocery stores were poorly lighted, had little or no refrigeration and the poorly arranged stock was often piled outside the store because of a lack of space.  The proprietor stocked the sales floor, waited on all customers and worked from 7 AM until 9 PM every day and on Saturdays until midnight.  Eventually Mr. Hoyle had up to four clerks to help him serve the customers.  During those 25 years, all three of Mr. Hoyle’s sons worked in the store, which by 1947 had become a modern self-service grocery doing a large volume of business. Mr. Hoyle attributed his success in his chosen field to the close cooperation and support of … his family.

            And… that’s today’s story on “Our Past Is Present” from the Geary County Historical Society.