Tuskegee Area Chamber of Commerce 50th Anniversary
In order to understand our efforts as a Chamber of Commerce during my tenure as president, (1974—1982) we must revisit the history of this community for context. After two citywide boycotts in Tuskegee, the business community as well as the social structure sought to reshape themselves.
The Tuskegee Civic Association (TCA) during the 1950s and early 1960s had conducted an extended boycott of downtown Tuskegee, which was dominated by white-owned businesses. The boycott caused Tuskegee citizens to establish new shopping patterns, towards Auburn and Montgomery. Once voting rights and integrated facilities were established, the boycott ended but the economic impact of it was substantial.
Retail establishments had developed in the Village of Greenwood (Tuskegee institute area of town), owned by local residents. These businesses provided the essential and repetitive goods and services of daily life, such as food, gasoline, drugs, laundries, dry cleaning, and similar necessities. Though they generated some measure of local sales, the boycott had trained Tuskegee shoppers to avoid hometown stores and well after the boycotts were over, Tuskegee shoppers continued to make major purchases out-of-town.
A second boycott led by the local NAACP branch was a “crusade for fair employment.” It started with the “Big Bear Boycott” and included Colonial Bread, Winn Dixie and the establishments that had no Black management. It was very successful, but that is another story.
Our goal at the Chamber was to initiate communication among local businesspeople to build a foundation to solidify and sustain the ongoing existence of local businesses. We adopted the slogan “Shop Tuskegee First” with a goal of getting citizens to purchase everything that was available here before going out-of-town to spend their money. I feel this had some effect, but it could not really compete with the onslaught of the big box retailers, including Wal Mart, Home Depot, Lowes, Walgreens and others.
The advent of regional shopping centers also was and is a detriment. This retail strategy has not only hurt Tuskegee, it is killing Small Town America. I feel that our efforts helped to some extent. We slowed down the out-of-town shopping to some degree and we established a forum for communication among businesspeople. We also had an impact on what local politicians knew and understood about the business community.
I conclude my reflections by identifying some of the businesses that were open during my tenure as Chamber president, that no longer exist.
The list of now-shuttered Tuskegee businesses was triggered by George Clay’s memory of a time when there were many places in Tuskegee providing goods and services. Historian and Tuskegee native, Guy Trammell added even more establishments that once operated in this community.
APPLIANCES
Holland’s Appliances
AUTOMOBILE DEALERSHIPS
Frazier/Hall – Chevrolet/Oldsmobile
George Williams – Ford Dealer
Johnson/Bell – Pontiac/Cadillac
Rhodes Motors – Chrysler/Plymouth
BANKING & CREDIT UNION SERVICES
Alabama Exchange
City Bank
South Trust Bank
Tuskegee Savings and Loans
BUSINESS EQUIPMENT
Jones Business Machines
CAR & TRUCK SERVICES
Adams Body Shop
Clay Jackson Auto Repair
Snowden’s Garage
Western Auto
CLOTHING & SHOE STORES
Collis Shoe Shop
Daniel’s Clothing
Flossies’ Fashions
Jerry’s Clothing
Petite Bazaar
Rogers Shoe Shop
Tuskegee Shoe Store
Zozi’s Dress Shop
CRAFTS & MISCELLANEOUS ITEMS
Allen’s Variety Store
Alley Mercantile
The Hobby Shop
William’s Home Center
CONSTRUCTION & RELATED COMPANIES
Conner Brothers Construction
Marable Construction
Marable Hardware
Marable Lumber Company
FLOWER SHOPS
Yates Florist
-more-
FURNITURE STORE
Skinner Furniture
GAS STATIONS
Bailey Partridge ”Pure Service Station”
Brewer’s Service Station
Child’s Standard Oil & Gas
Frazier Gulf Station
Hicks Mojo AMOCO
Hobdy Service Station
Jody’s Gas Station
Perry Texaco
Pollards Service Station
Reed’s Phillips 66 Gas Station
GROCERY STORES
Bulls’ Black Angus Super Market
Carter’s Grocery
Freeman’s Grocery
H & G Supermarket
Hillyard’s Grocery
Jackson Glaze Grocery
Todd’s Grocery
Ware’s Grocery
Winn Dixie Super Market
HOSPITALS
John A. Andrew Memorial Hospital
Macon County Hospital
Tuskegee Veterans Administration (VA) Hospital
INSURANCE
Alexander & Co. Inc
JEWELRY STORES
Price Jewelry
Ware’s Jewelry
LAUNDRY & DRYCLEANING SERVICES
Anderson’s Laundromat
Felder’s Laundromat
Masters Cleaners
Walker’s Laundromat
Gregg’s Cleaners
Reid’s Cleaners and Haberdashery
Snow White Cleaners
LODGING
Macon Motel
Tuskegee Holiday Inn Hotel
MOVIES
Lincoln Drive-in
Macon Theatre
-more-
PHARMACIES
Big B’s Pharmacy
Rexall Drugs
Robinson’s Drug Store
PHOTOGRAPHY SERVICES
Hawkins Studio
RESTAURANTS
Astrology Club
Capistrano Club
Captain Wiley’s Restaurant
Carter’s Grill
Davis Dairy Bar
Joe’s Dairy Bar
Larkin’s Barbecue
Perry’s Barbecue
Quiet Place Bar and Restaurant
Stewart’s Restaurant
Thomas Reed’s Chicken Coop
Tuskegee Sundries
SNACK SHOPS
Bill Baker’s Convenience Store
Murt’s Superette
The Corner Store
