Stanley Sundries, (photo on left) run by B. J. Cauble, was still in town in the McLurd Building on the corner of East Chestnut and Highway 27. This had previously been J. W. Dellinger's Drug Store. The Trailways Bus stopped here on it's route between Charlotte and Lincolnton and many people caught the bus here to spend the day in Lincolnton or Charlotte for shopping, doctor visits, etc.

Shook's Grocery served the people in the mid-town area. Run by Ernest Shook. They were located in the McLurd Building next to Stanley Sundries.

Beside Shook's Grocery, in the McLurd Building, was Shook's Clothing Store, owned and run by Paul and Edna Shook. Paul was Ernest Shook's brother.

A small office on the very end of the McLurd Building housed the McLurd-Dellinger Insurance Company managed by Stewart Dellinger. His uncle, Lee McLurd, began the business many years prior and passed it along to Stewart.

The Hammack-Derr Hardware Store was located on the corner of Highway 27 and East Chestnut Street. George Derr was manager.

The new medium, Television, had come into being in the 1950's and people in town were purchasing TV sets. This in turn brought a new occupation to town, the TV Repair business. Everette Kinley had a TV Repair Shop at his home on South Main Street.

Pete Sigmon had a TV Repair Shop, at one time in Henry G. "Gig" Hovis' Furniture Store, (Stanley Hardware and Supply Co.) later on down the street near Frank Boyd's Hardware and still later at his place of residence.

J. D. McCarn also had a T.V. Repair business on N. Main St.

Horace E. "Red" Poteat had his auto repair shop on the Dallas Road at the edge of town.

Clarence Hastings had an auto repair shop where he later repaired lawn mowers. This was located on East Chestnut Street behind Hammack-Derr Hardware.

There was a dime store, The Southern 5 & 10; the Rexall Drug Store and the Western Auto Store in town.

The Western Auto Store was next door to the Rexall Drug Store and was managed first by David Scott. He and his wife, Eunice, came to Stanley in 1954. Dave Scott managed the Western Auto until the early 1960's when he managed a dime store for awhile and then went to work with the Post Office. At that time the management of the Western Auto passed on to John Bridgeman.

Frank Boyd still had his hardware store on South Main Street near Gaston County Dyeing Machine Co.

Stanley Dry Cleaners, owned by Olin Handsel was downtown next to Frank Boyd's Hardware.

Another dry cleaners in town was Rhyne Rudisill Dry Cleaning on the North End of town. Owners of the business were Glenn Rhyne and Calvin Rudisill.

Weddington's Jewely Store was in the little metal building next to Gaston County Dyeing. Later Clyde Potts' shoe shop was there as well as Tom Gardner's Jewelry Store.

Richard Bradshaw and Alfred Hager ran the Firestone Tire Store next door to the Peterson House.

Connected to the Peterson House was an ice cream store. First managed by Thad and Dora Ballard. Thad and Dora were owners of the old Peterson House. They transferred management of the ice cream store later to Ovelia and Don Calvert. Then in the 1960's the managers of the ice cream store were Harold Armstrong and Don Hoffman.

Jim Rhyne also had an ice cream store next to his home on North Main Street. His ice cream was the soft serve type.

The Esso Service Station on the corner of the Charlotte Highway and East Parkwood Street was built in 1954. Webb Martin was manager and later Guy Boggs ran the station. William I. "Bill" Kincaid ran the Station after Mr. Boggs and also owned rental mill village houses in Stanley. He and his wife, Ernie, were members of Stanley Methodist Church. After living here a few years they moved back to Bessemer City, their hometown.

Handsel's Self Service Grocery, was on the north end of town. The business had enlarged from the small old-fashioned mercantile type store to their recently built brick store which was the first self service grocery in town. Russell Handsel was owner.

Hunter and Katherine Black in North End Cafe

Jim Handsel in front of his dad's grocery. Jim worked as butcher.

Casey and Lilly Caldwell bought the North End Cafe about 1953, from Lonnie Bryson. Casey had been in partnership with Mr. Bryson for many years prior. Casey sold his share to Katherine Black around 1955 and Katherine and Lilly ran the cafe. Later they moved downtown to the former location of B.J. Cauble's Cafe.

Harry Medlin ran that cafe before B. J. Cauble. It was in that cafe' during the 1950's that the teenagers gathered to drink soft drinks or hot chocolate and listen to the juke box after the basketball and football games.

The Bank in town was the Citizen's National Bank with Marsh Cavin as Manager, later Everette Harrelson was manager.

Ned Cannon managed his laundry business in a small building on North Main St. between Rhyne and W. Poplar Streets for many years. The business was begun by Alvin Green who ran the laundry for many years until Ned Cannon became owner. On 4 March 1957 Ned built his new laundry on North Main Street across the railroad tracks.

Robert's Grocery, a larger grocery store, moved into town. This grocery was run by Robert Stroupe, originally from Mt. Holly. He branched out from a family grocery business.

Collins Department Store was located next to Robert Stroupe's Supermarket which was on the corner of West Chestnut and Main. Roberts' later moved to the corner of West College and N. Main Streets; next to the Methodist Church. Two houses had been on that location; one that the T. C. Moore family had lived in, was torn down; and the other was owned by Dr. Weathers and was moved to South Buckoak Street.

Joe and Jim's Grocery came to Stanley in the 1950's and was located on the comer of South Main and West Chestnut St. where previously the Ben Carpenter home was located, then Robert's Grocery. Reeves Warren was the butcher and manager of the meat department.

Wallace Furniture Company was still in town managed by Lester "Doc" Shook. It was located on the corner of South Main & New Streets.

Hammack Funeral Home was on the second block of Plum Street.

The Foxes out on the Old Mt. Holly Road had a store in their home in the 1950's.

W. G. Hawley still had his lumber company in town.

Herb Cannon's Atlantic Service Station was on the Charlotte Highway next to the Rhyne-Rudisill Dry Cleaners. It had previously been managed by a Mr. Kistler.

Wilson Rhyne's Sinclair Station was still located on the corner of Charlotte Highway and Lucia Road. Beside the Sinclair Station was another Atlantic Service Station managed by Miles Davis and then later Herb Cannon.

David M. "Pete" Rhyne ran the Esso Service Station on the corner of Charlotte Highway and East College Street.

The Gulf Service Station was located across West Carpenter Street from the old City Hall location (now police station). This gas station had been in business for several years.

Clyde Potts had a shoe repair business in town, which later became the Quality Shoe and Clothing Store, on the northern end of Stanley.

Zed Humphrey had his little grocery store on the southern edge of town near the Dallas Road.

The two physicians in town were Dr. B. G. Weathers and Dr. J.C. Fesperman.

Dr. O. Roy Keith practiced dentistry in Stanley on a part time basis in the office over the barber shop but discontinued his Stanley practice around 1957-1958.

Dr. Clyde McCall moved his dental practice into town in the late 1950's. His first office was on the second floor in the building, next to the Post Office, that had the Stanley Barber Shop on the first floor.

Better Telephone Service

Most people in town who had telephones had a party-line which meant there were other people on the same line as you and each party had a different ring. A few people had private lines.

In 1954 the Southern Bell Telephone Co. built an exchange building behind the T. C. Moore home, on West College Street. Many households got their first phone as a result.

J. P. Stevens Textile Mill in the mid 1950's (Click on the image above to enlarge.)

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