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FOODLAND

This photo from November 2007 shows the little store that used to stand at 1121 North 31st Street. No idea how long it was there, or exactly when the building was demolished.

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FOODLAND, Fatduck’s, that little store that used to be at 24th and Fairmount, Family Super Market, the store before Captain Buzzy’s, what was there before Anthony’s on the Hill, and now Blue Wheeler… these little grocery stores that were such a reliable and iconic part of the urban fabric in the area for generations have been steadily disappearing over the past 10 years.

This change makes Crenshaw’s longevity all the more astounding. The building at 1801 22nd Street has been a store since at least 1925 according to Sanborn Maps, approximately the time in which the building would have been built.

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Still here, since at least 1925!
Still here, since at least 1925!

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2009
2009

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2623 East Broad Street (1983)
2623 East Broad Street (1983)

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2824 E Broad Street (2007)
2824 E Broad Street (2007)

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24th and Fairmount after the fire (2007)
24th and Fairmount after the fire (2007)

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A & W Superette (2007)
A & W Superette (2007)

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1300 block of 22nd Street (still open) (photo 2007)
1300 block of 22nd Street (still open) (photo 2007)

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ACME Grocery - burned in 2009 (photo 2007)
ACME Grocery – burned in 2009 (photo 2007)

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2829 Q Street (still open)
2829 Q Street (still open)

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Blue Wheeler on Marshall Street (photo 2007, closed 2016)
Blue Wheeler on Marshall Street (photo 2007, closed 2016)

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Family Supermarket (24th and Jefferson) (closed 2014)
Family Supermarket (24th and Jefferson) (closed 2014)

17 comments

Clay Street 03/31/2016 at 9:21 AM

The Korean market where Anthony’s On the Hill is now was great. In a pinch I could get basic stuff–toilet paper, milk, dish soap. People forget how hard it was to have access to those things without driving to Carytown or Laburnum before The Market was down at 25th & Main. These are things I would mostly never buy at Union Market, by the way–they are doing a great job by filling a different, albeit important need for the community.

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P.Mayo 03/31/2016 at 6:06 PM

The house to the left is gone now too.

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georut 04/01/2016 at 3:00 PM

They had the best sign. “No Loitering No Sit Down”

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Eric S. Huffstutler 04/01/2016 at 5:50 PM

@2 Clay Street… I use to walk to the Quick Check which was also run by Koreans but the store had a lot of expired merchandise on the shelves – some months or even years out of date. You had to pick and choose what you wanted. What we bought was ice cream and chips… occasionally some vegetables or milk if in date. The Church Hill Market had a little more to offer.

I wish someone would buy and convert the 401 N 27th (Wills Grocery building) back to a corner grocer. The building being over 200-years old, will need a lot of historic renovation to bring it up to code.

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Clay Street 04/01/2016 at 11:17 PM

Eric, I used to do my laundry inside 401 N. 27th and walk to the Quick Check for a soda and a lottery ticket while my things were taking their time in the dryer…that was when you could “Ring Charlie for Change” with the little bell and metal bucket he would let down LOL

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Eric S. Huffstutler 04/02/2016 at 10:04 AM

@6 Clay Street

You couldn’t beat those dryers. Only .25¢ and it would dry an entire load. We used them for larger bed items. And yes, can see ‘ol Charlie with his shower cap protecting his Jheri Curls, lowering down the bucket of change 🙂

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Anne Percival 04/05/2016 at 1:16 PM

Does anyone have a photo of the market that used to be in the 23rd/Jefferson/Clay triangle? I can’t remember the name. It was torn down in the 90s. “Leonard’s Hair Motion” was where Cyclus is now and there was a laundromat in the 2211 Jefferson building.

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John M 04/05/2016 at 1:24 PM

No, but here is a photo of the laundromat /2010/02/22/affordable-laundry-1990s_12342/

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Gregory pleasants 07/23/2017 at 5:52 PM

The store on 31st street was owned by my uncle Leonard Carter,don’t know how long it had been there,but it was there when I was a child in 1960

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Queen of Church Hill 07/24/2017 at 9:33 AM

Ahhh…the Quick Check! I have fond memories of walking there to get a Chick-o-stick/Jolly Ranchers/Now & Laters with my best friend! What a great childhood we had growing up on the Hill!

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