By Shannon McFarlin WENK/WTPR News Director
Paris, Tenn.—You just never know when the past is going to make a comeback.
Little did the new owners of the building at 210 N. Poplar St. in downtown Paris know what they would uncover when they took off the tin covering on top of the building.
It revealed the original hand-painted sign for the Hunter’s grocery store which operated in the building at the turn of the century. And at least one source says that was the first grocery store in Paris.
The Hunter family was an industrious, hard-working German immigrant family which came to Paris in 1898 and quickly established several businesses, beginning with Paris Bakery and Hunter’s Grocery Store. The family later also operated a camera shop and drug store the buildings adjoining the grocery.
As a child, Helen Hunter worked with her father, Benjamin Franklin Hunter in the bakery, which also was located on Poplar Street.
An old advertisement of Hunter’s Grocery is published in the late Sue Fox’ book, “Paris: The City Beautiful”. The book is a pictorial history of Paris that was published in the early 1900s and includes photographs taken by Fox, who was the first female photographer in Paris.
The ad shows the Hunter’s Store sign as it was originally (and indeed it is hand-painted on the brick in the photo). The ad proclaims it as “The Store That ‘Blazed The Trail’ For The Cash And Carry Grocery Business Here.” It also states that it is Paris’ oldest grocery, established in 1916 and that it was the only grocery owned and managed by women in Paris. It was operated by Hunter’s widow and Helen Hunter, his daughter.
New building owner Bridget Jackson said, “We couldn’t believe it when we took down the old tin that was covering the top. We saw the name ‘Hunter’s’ and it’s hand-painted on the brick. We didn’t know who the Hunter’s were.”
Jackson has recently moved to Paris and said she is opening a hair salon, boutique and gift shop in the building.
She said she would like to preserve the old sign, but since it’s painted right on the brick, she doesn’t think she’ll be able to. “We’ve looked at it several ways. But with it being located right in the middle, there’s no way we could put our sign around it. We’re still trying to figure out a way. But we do want to preserve the memory of the original store, by having photos of the old store on display.”
Photos: The Hunter’s Store sign uncovered; the original Hunter’s sign; and the Hunter family posed in front of the store. (Photos property of Shannon McFarlin).
It revealed the original hand-painted sign for the Hunter’s grocery store which operated in the building at the turn of the century. And at least one source says that was the first grocery store in Paris.
The Hunter family was an industrious, hard-working German immigrant family which came to Paris in 1898 and quickly established several businesses, beginning with Paris Bakery and Hunter’s Grocery Store. The family later also operated a camera shop and drug store the buildings adjoining the grocery.
As a child, Helen Hunter worked with her father, Benjamin Franklin Hunter in the bakery, which also was located on Poplar Street.
An old advertisement of Hunter’s Grocery is published in the late Sue Fox’ book, “Paris: The City Beautiful”. The book is a pictorial history of Paris that was published in the early 1900s and includes photographs taken by Fox, who was the first female photographer in Paris.
The ad shows the Hunter’s Store sign as it was originally (and indeed it is hand-painted on the brick in the photo). The ad proclaims it as “The Store That ‘Blazed The Trail’ For The Cash And Carry Grocery Business Here.” It also states that it is Paris’ oldest grocery, established in 1916 and that it was the only grocery owned and managed by women in Paris. It was operated by Hunter’s widow and Helen Hunter, his daughter.
New building owner Bridget Jackson said, “We couldn’t believe it when we took down the old tin that was covering the top. We saw the name ‘Hunter’s’ and it’s hand-painted on the brick. We didn’t know who the Hunter’s were.”
Jackson has recently moved to Paris and said she is opening a hair salon, boutique and gift shop in the building.
She said she would like to preserve the old sign, but since it’s painted right on the brick, she doesn’t think she’ll be able to. “We’ve looked at it several ways. But with it being located right in the middle, there’s no way we could put our sign around it. We’re still trying to figure out a way. But we do want to preserve the memory of the original store, by having photos of the old store on display.”
Photos: The Hunter’s Store sign uncovered; the original Hunter’s sign; and the Hunter family posed in front of the store. (Photos property of Shannon McFarlin).