The Superior Express -

Shopping on a Saturday afternoon is nothing like it used to be. A drive down the main street shows only a few vehicles parked and in some towns, the main street is bare on Saturday afternoons. Several of the stores display closed signs and advertise they now close at noon, or mid afternoon. Thank goodness the grocery stores are open. Even during week days, unless a person knows for sure, phone calls may be needed to be made before making a trip into town. It is not certain some stores or eating places are open that day. These stores or eating places share that finding “good, dependable” help is hard to find and so they have to post signs on their doors, “closed because of lack of help.”

Memories of Saturday afternoon years ago, a family loaded into the family vehicle to make the remaining day and the evening exciting. All looked forward to shopping and social time. Stories were told of families in the 30s and 40s taking their eggs and cream into town to sell and then use the money received to do the needed shopping.

In the late 50s and 60s, it was still the “in thing” to load the family up and head into town to shop on Saturday afternoon and evening. I remember our family all in the vehicle, and coming into town. We would see cars and pickups parked, filling every parking space on the main street. Dad would find an empty parking spot and we’d all get out of the car and head our separate ways. Dad would head to the lumber yard. Mother would find friends to visit with and then she’d go to the grocery store. The stores remained open until 9 or 10 p.m. Groceries could be purchased, sacked and then held to be picked up later when the family was ready to head home or when the store closed its doors. All the stores were busy. Children would head to the local dime store to look over the wonders of the filled shelves. There was always a popcorn machine at the Morris Garage and a sack filled with popcorn was always free.

Then eventually, the “in spot” would be the café. In our case it would be Zetta’s Café. The walk through the large glass doors, would reveal the smells of hamburgers and French fries. The booths and counter stools were filled with friends, family and neighbors. The sounds of voices filled the room with all visiting and catching up on all the news. The most enjoyable sounds came from the malt machines stirring up the sought after treats. When the malts were brought to the booth, along with the filled tall glass, the metal mixing container that contained the malt that didn’t fit in the glass. Those malts were delicious! Coins could pay for the malts, hamburgers and soda pop. A 50 cent piece went a long ways at Zetta’s café.

Sometimes the parents took their visits out into the lit main street, or they would go to friends’ homes in town to continue the visits. Children would make their way to the school building’s auditorium to watch a movie made possible by the hometown businesses. During the hot summer months, the movie was shown in the park, projected onto the side of a building. Sometimes the parents would also attend the movies , After the movie, it was time to load back up into the car or pick up and head for home.

Such great times were had in the hometown on a Saturday afternoon and evening in those days.