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Harmon's Grocery
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About
- Name
- Harmon's Grocery
- Trading names
- John Harmon Grocery
- Services
- Supermarket
Facts
- Founded
- 1909
Creston,Ohio
- Dissolved
- 1959
Related
Key Persons
- Founders
- John W. Harman Often spelled Harmon
- Key Persons
- John W. Harman, Owner
1909–1944 - Willis J. Harman, Owner
1944–1959
Location
- 113 S. Main St., Creston, 44217, Ohio
John W. Harmon Grocery
Harmon Grocery Creston "The Harmon Grocery is one of the best stores in this section, having been founded here in 1909 by J. Willis Harman's father, J. W. Harman. It is really a worth while store and one that would reflect credit upon a much larger town. Fair, considerate treatment of the patron and quality merchandise; that's the formula used to build this enterprise to its present position." [1]
Brief History of Harman's Grocery
In 1908, Lonzo C. Tyler and William R. Carson owned a grocery store in Creston. [2]. In Spring 1909, John Harmon purchased L. C. Tyler's interest in the grocery firm of Tyler and Carson. [3] It is unknown how long John Harmon remained the senior member of the firm of Harmon & Carson. In the 1910 U.S. Census for Canaan Township, Wayne County, Ohio, William Carson is listed as a clerk in a grocery store. In the 1920 U.S. Census for Canaan Township, Wayne County, Ohio, William R. Carson was listed as being a grocer at his own store, with his account. Between 1919 and 1921, newspaper clippings appeared listing "W. R. Carson, Grocer", as having a store in the Baum Block. During the same time period, John W. Harmon owned and operated Harman's Grocery, sometimes listed as Harmon's Grocery in the newspapers. By the 1930 U.S. Census, William R. Carson and his family were residing in Wooster, Wayne County, Ohio. He was listed as a salesman in retail grocery. By May 7, 1930, Harman Grocery was affiliated with IGA. [4] In 1944, John W. Harman sold the grocery store to his son, Willis Harman. By the 1951 telephone directory, the name had changed from Harman's Store to Harman's Super Market. It remained listed as Harman's Super Market until the 1959-1960 telephone book when the new name was listed as Carl's IGA Store. It is not known how long it remained known as Carl's IGA Store. In the 1966 and the 1967 Lodi-Seville Telephone Book, the address had changed to 107 S. Main St. in Creston and it was known as Winkler's Food Center. by 1968, it changed names to Creston IGA, 107 S. Main St. It continued to operate as the Creston IGA for a number of years, at least until the 1981-1982 Lodi-Seville Telephone Directory. In the 1987, 1990, and 1992 Wayne County, Ohio Directories, it appears it is owned by Jeff Huffman and is known as Creston A. G. Foods. The grocery store is not listed in the 1993-1994 Wayne-Holmes County Telephone book. By 1996, 107 S. Main St. is occupied by Creston Treasure Chest.
Harmon's Grocery
If you wanted groceries delivered, you just called "#50" and almost immediately someone answered "Harmon's."
There were two deliveries a day for a long time, but finally cut down to just one. Mr. John Harmon was ever so pleasant, when answering the phone. He had many clerks during his time in business, but I think most people were glad when they heard his cheerful voice. He always seemed to be able to help you out when you couldn't think exactly what you wanted. Mrs. Harmon was in the store many years too, always pleasant, but in the back room attending to business affairs.
Mr. Harmon's good old white horse, "Nellie", was known all over town. She seemed to know where to stop and just about how long she should wait outside for the groceries to be delivered. The delivery boys said that "Nellie" would sometimes start on to the next house and the boy would have to yell, "Whoa, Nellie", or "Wait for me, Nellie", -- because he had taken too long. But Nellie never ran away as far as I know. She would just go a few steps to let the boy know it was time to move on. I don't know how many years Nellie lived, but Harmon's eventually got a small truck for deliveries.
The Harmon's were good Presbyterians and seldom missed a church service. One thing about John Harmon-- he treated everyone alike. My father often said even if you owed Mr. Harmon a hundred dollars== (what my father sometimes did) he would still be your friend and continue to bring your groceries.
They lived about the store then bought the Wheeler house on North Main St. where they lived until Mrs. Harmon passed away. Mr. Harmon moved to Burbank St. where he lived with his daughter and husband, Mr. & Mrs. Morris Coleman.
Morris Coleman was a good friendly salesman, it didn't take him to long to learn people's names and also what their likes and dislikes were. He seemed to pick up the Harmon atmosphere when he came into the store and immediately made friends.
In the days of Harmon's Grocery people ran charge accounts. It was not uncommon for some people like my father to not get paid for a building or some other contract job until it was finished or maybe until the end of the year! What would we have done without John Harmon? I don't know how he carried those accounts but he did and at least in our case, he once said, "Oh, I know I'll get it!"
The world could do with more John Harmon's!! [5]
Telephone Books
Lodi Telephone Directory
- 1946 - Harman's Store - S. Main St.
- 1948 - Harman's Store - S. Main St.
- 1950 - Harman's Store - S. Main St.
- 1951 - Harman's Super Market - 113 S. Main St.
- 1953 - Harman's Super Market - 113 S. Main St.
- 1955/56 - Harman's Super Market - 113 S. Main St.
- 1957/58 - Harman's Super Market - 113 S. Main St.
- 1958/59 - Harman's Super Market - 113 S. Main St.
- 1959/60 - Carl's IGA Store - 113 S. Main St.
- 1960/61 - Carl's IGA Store - 113 S. Main St.
- 1966 - Winkler's Food Center - 107 S. Main St.
- 1967 - Winkler's Food Center - 107 S. Main St.
- 1968 - Creston IGA - 107 S. Main St.
- 1969 - Creston IGA - 107 S. Main St.
- 1980/81 - Creston IGA - 107 S. Main St.
Town and Country Directory
- 1959 - Harmon's IGA Super Market
- Owned by J. W. Harmon
- Also employed Willis J. Harmon, son of John W. Harmon, the founder
Wayne County, Ohio Villages Directory
- Not listed in 1955, 1958, 1961, 1964, 1966, 1969, 1971, 1974, 1976, 1982, or 1985 Wayne County, Ohio Directories
- 1987 - Creston A. G. Food - 107 S. Main St.
- Owned by Jeff Huffman
- 1990 - Creston A. G. Food - 107 S. Main St.
- Owned by Jeff Huffman
- 1992 - Creston A. G. Food - 107 S. Main St.
- Owned by Jeff Huffman