Miss McCool's Grocery!

McCool's Grocery Store

Miss McCool was our neighbor who owned this grocery store across the st. down from our home. She was a widow lady with five kids that were married and lived away and the store was her only means of her lively hood for many years. We kids grew up with this store being their for us if we needed anything. We would meet at the store every morning to catch the school bus. It had a high concrete porch where we all congregated while waiting for the bus. Rain, snow, or whatever we were covered and Nellie would even let us stand inside if it was too cold. As far as I know , no one ever took anything without paying for it. think they would have feared for their life if they had. Miss McCool was a no nonsense kind of person but also had a heart for those in need.

I'm not sure if the store is still standing today. I can't remember when she closed the old place for good but that store was as much a part of our childhood as was the old neighborhood. Her name by the way, was Nellie McCool but we always called her Miss McCool . Not sure why? respect I guess. She never was afraid to tell us if we were doing something wrong. We kids didn't misbehave around her and when she said stop that , you did! She wouldn't put up with no nonsense.

People just seemed to care more about people back then and they looked out for each other. Bump said he recalled once when he found a cigarette on the ground outside near store and picked it up and started to put it to his lips and Miss McCool hollowed " BUMPER" and he said I dropped it like a hot potato! ha.You know he never picked up the habit of smoking. I reckon she pretty much kept a eye on all us kids. We all respected her and knew she was there for us and meant business if she spoke. Sat. morning was donut time and mom let us go over and get a half dozen donuts. They were so yummy and cheap, only a nickel each! today its almost a dollar for one donut. ugh!

Well,everything closed down on Sundays , even our little grocery store. It just wasn't done! if you needed something you had better pick it up Sat. evening before closing . Sunday was church day and family day. So unlike today when nothing closes. It was nice then and all over the neighborhood you could see families spending time together. Seriously! We went to my grandma's every Sunday it seemed. neighbors were on their front porches watching their kids play, adults would talk. It was nice , seemed no one stayed inside.

With lots of girls in the family we often ran out of the feminine things that girls need and my sisters would write a note to Nellie telling her what they needed and send Bump to the store. he hated it but did it. He handed over the note to Miss McCool and she would put the goods in a sack so he wouldn't have to be embarrassed. ha. so much a part of our lives was she and that little neighborhood store. tks. Miss McCool for sharing your life with us Todd kids.