A New Way of Grocery Shopping

Thrift Stores, Inc.
Self-Serve Grocers
"Our Longmeadow Store at 10 Bliss Road
Will Be Open for Business Monday"

Source: Springfield Republican
Nov. 19, 1927

In 1927 Thanksgiving Day was celebrated on November 24th. That year a few days before the big holiday a new grocery store opened in Longmeadow. It joined the other grocery/ meat stores that already enjoyed business from town residents. On Monday, November 21st residents could also purchase their Thanksgiving Day groceries at the Thrift Stores, Inc. It was very conveniently located at 10 Bliss Road- just around the corner from the Colonnade. Customers in Springfield, MA were already shopping at a Thrift Stores, Inc. The Longmeadow store was the fifth store to open. 

The Thrift Stores, Inc. has an interesting history! The gentleman who had the idea for this local "self serve" grocery store was born in Springfield, Missouri. His name was Charles F. Meek. Mr. Meek's father was a farmer and this occupation did not suit the teenager after he had an accident while plowing on the family's farm. Young Charles then worked at a grocery store in Aldrich, Missouri. His take home pay was $15 a month. Charles sent part of the money back to his mother and also saved part of his salary. His job at this grocery store included sweeping the floor, getting crackers, pickles and sugar out of barrels, delivering groceries and also closing up the store around midnight. This young man learned about managing a grocery store. A friend named Henry G. Sunderwirth had inherited some money. These two young men opened a grocery store in Missouri with their combined money and also with a loan from Charles Meek's father. The store was successful, because it sold good quality products. 

One of the customers was a young teacher named Lulu Wilson. Charles Meek married Lulu Wilson in 1910. At the end of WW1 they visited Lulu's sister who lived in Hartford, CT and was married to W. L. Mooney, the vice- president of the Aetna Life Insurance Co. This visit was very beneficial to Charles  F. Meek's dream of opening a self serve grocery store. Bustling Springfield, MA was the selected location. Plans were made and Mr. Mooney was the president with Mr. Meek manager and treasurer of this new grocery store. Lulu Meek was assistant to her husband. The name of the grocery store was Thrift Stores, Inc. It opened in 1920 in Springfield, MA.

Looking inside a Thrift Store
This store located in Springfield, MA.

This concept of self service was new to customers in our area! However, the quality of the products that were sold never fluctuated and the customers kept returning. Then, more stores opened in Springfield and the grocery stores grew to 6 locations. Store number 5 was located at 10 Bliss Road in Longmeadow, MA. By that time Mr. Sunderwirth traveled east to join the company and later Mr. Mooney retired.

A very interesting product that was first introduced to the marketplace was sold at all of the Thrift Stores, Inc. The product was frosted foods. The quick freezing process was invented by the Massachusetts scientist Clarence Birdseye.

Springfield Republican
March 6, 1930

Birdseye chose Mr. Meek's stores to introduce their product, because he had a great reputation of selling high quality products. Charles and Lulu Meek had visited the Birds Eye freezing plant in Boston, MA to learn about these products before they were sold in the Thrift Stores. To this day we purchased these products- Birds Eye frozen foods.

In November of 1942 Alvin H. Phillips purchased this chain of grocery stores. Mr. Phillips owned the A. H. Phillips, Inc. grocery store chain. He had built the block for stores in Longmeadow located on the corner of Longmeadow Street and South Park Avenue. Click here to read an earlier story about that block of stores: Was This Block of Stores the Second "Longmeadow Shops"?    

As time went on the Longmeadow Thrift Store closed. In 1946 it was no longer listed in the Longmeadow Street Directory. It was reported that the store closed due to a lack of help. Times had changed and young men were entering the armed forces. 

Charles F. Meek had a dream. He was the son of a Missouri farmer and he was also a very successful businessman. Mr. Meek remembered the daily hard work of farmers in our country. He knew that people worked hard for their wages. Mr. Meek had the reputation of selling good quality products in his stores, so he was a successful businessman.   

Additional Sources: Springfield Republican- Nov. 11, 1942; Nov. 22, 1942 and Meek Family Tree. 

~Written by Judy Moran 

"Welcome Home" After WWI

"WELCOME HOME TO LONGMEADOW'S SONS"
JULY FIRST 1919
Cover of Souvenir Booklet
Courtesy of State Library of Massachusetts

On July 1, 1919 there was a special event in the town of Longmeadow, MA. Longmeadow welcomed home the Marines, the Soldiers and the Sailors who had returned after serving their country during World War I. On that Tuesday evening dinner was served at 6:45 PM in the Chapel to these honored guests. During dinner there was music and songs. 

Longmeadow town residents had been invited to come to the Town Green at 8 PM to continue the celebration on that summer evening. Everyone had the opportunity to show their appreciation for the service of these brave individuals who had returned home. The 104th Regiment Band provided the music that everyone enjoyed on the Town Green. A welcome speech was given by First Church Rev. Randolph S. Merrill and Rev. Henry Lincoln Bailey wrote a song, "Longmeadow's Welcome", for this special event. Speeches were given by Chaplin Lyman Rollins and Longmeadow resident and Longmeadow/ Springfield physician Maj. Harry C. Martin. Monologs were presented by Sgt. Harry Roach.   

The committee that planned this event had also prepared a program that would be a souvenir. Names were listed along with each individual's war service. 

Longmeadow, MA was one of the numerous communities throughout the United States that held special "Welcome Home" celebrations to thank and to honor the individuals who had risked their lives. The neighboring town of East Longmeadow welcomed home its soldiers on July 3, 1919. Maj. Harry C. Martin was a guest speaker at that event, too. Just to name a few other communities among all of the communities throughout our country that celebrated "Welcome Home" after WWI - Harrisburg, PA and Kalamazoo, MI and Woodbury, NJ and Newburyport, MA and Lancaster, WI and Springfield, MA. It was time to celebrate that these brave individuals had returned home.       

Other Sources: Springfield Republican- July 1, 1919 and July 4, 1919.  

~Written by Judy Moran    

A Beautiful Winter Painting

FIRST CHURCH
LONGMEADOW, MASS.
EST. 1716
Artist: Wiley

So many of us enjoy learning about and also revisiting the history of our town of Longmeadow, Massachusetts. Many of us follow the tradition of former residents of Longmeadow and acquire and/or purchase items that relate to our town's history. Some items are large and other items are small. 

When you walk into the Longmeadow Community House to cast your vote in the upcoming election you also have a wonderful opportunity to view a painting of a winter scene that we quickly recognize. The Community House is one of the buildings in the beautiful work of art. However, the First Church with its tall steeple can catch our attention. This large oil painting "FIRST CHURCH, LONGMEADOW, MASS., EST. 1716" is hanging on the left side of the wall in the Community House- after you walk into the building.

Plate on frame of painting

Previously, this painting had hung on the wall of a physician's office in Springfield, MA. The physician was Dr. Stanley N. Teale- a very well respected Cardiologist at Springfield Hospital (now Baystate Medical Center). Dr. Teale, his wife Shirley and their three sons Peter, Phillip and Malcolm lived for many years in a historic house in Longmeadow- 655 Longmeadow Street. When Dr. Teale retired in 1983 this work of art was gifted to him. He and his wife moved to Fairlee, VT and spent the remainder of their lives in that community. In 2008 Mrs. Teale passed away. This very well respected gentleman Dr. Stanley N. Teale passed away at the age of 101 years in 2022. Recently, his family gifted the painting to the Longmeadow Community House, so it could be displayed for all of us to admire.

While viewing this beautiful winter scene we are drawn to the center of the painting- to the First Church. There is snow on the ground and the scene looks tranquil. It may have had a special meaning to Dr. Teale, because his father Rev. Arthur E. Teale became the minister in Granby, CT after the family immigrated from Canada to the United States- when Dr. Teale was a young child. This scene from Longmeadow Street was also one that Dr. Teale, his wife and his sons recognized easily.

The artist signed his work Wiley. John J. Wiley, Jr. was born in and lived in Springfield, MA. Later he and his wife Elizabeth and children John III, Nancy, David, Kenneth and Bonnie lived in Feeding Hills, MA. Mr. Wiley was self- employed for 25 years and he took up the hobby of painting. He took art classes at the Springfield Museums and also at Bay Path College. After retiring in 1985 this artist painted only using watercolors.

Mr. Wiley displayed his work at the Agawam Public Library and in other exhibits including the art shows at the Longmeadow Shops. This artist would have been very familiar with this winter scene of the Cordis House, the Community House and First Church- while driving down Longmeadow Street. 

In 2016 John J. Wiley, Jr. passed away in Atlanta, GA at the age of 93 years. His wife Elizabeth had passed away in 2009. Mr. Wiley's works of art are found in private collections in the United States and other countries. 

This beautiful work of art by a Western MA artist can be viewed by all of us in the Longmeadow Community House. It is a winter scene that we recognize easily. 

Sources: Sunday Republican- Nov. 6, 2016; Valley News (West Lebanon, NH)- Aug. 28, 2022 and October 2024 Longmeadow Town Managers Newsletter.     

~Written by Judy Moran