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Remembering when Mathews was booming with business

Margie Snow of Bavon remembers a time when downtown Mathews was booming with business. Born in 1921, she can recall shopping at three grocery stores and three clothing stores and having three car dealerships to choose from when a new car was needed.

The A&P, Sibley’s, and L.M. Callis’s grocery stores were all along Main Street, while clothing was available at Foster’s Department Store, Golden Brooks and Tatterson’s. Residents could buy a brand-new Chrysler, Ford or Chevrolet in downtown Mathews, as well.

“On Saturday nights, the streets were full of people promenading up and down,” said Margie. “Everybody went to town on Saturday night and rode around and around the block.”

Next door to today’s Hudgins Pharmacy was an all-day diner where the owner, Elsie French, sold homemade pies and stayed open late on Saturdays. There were jukeboxes at the tables, so people could play songs and dance, and there was a pool hall upstairs.

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