TABLE OF CONTENT
I. Preface/Gift of Memory
II. Socio-Economic Conditions Affecting Issaquena Avenue
Chapter 1 Meet Issaquena Avenue
What Issaquena and Coahoma Mean
Clarksdale before Issaquena
The Growing Village with Issaquena Avenue
1889 Earliest Property Sale
Major Factors, King Cotton and the Railroad
Issaquena Avenue Begins Its Development
1903-1905 W. C. Handy's Selected Memories
Theodore Roosevelt's Visit
1918-1921 Post-World War I and the Depression
1922-1929 Economic Conditions Affecting Issaquena Merchants
1927 Mississippi River Flood
1920-1929 Early Merchants and Food Plants
1930-1939 Depression Years
1936-1939 Issaquena Becomes “Jewish Merchant” Street
Chart: 1923-1955 Issaquena Jewish Merchants
1937 Next Big Flood
Chapter 2 Full Bloom
Three Decades Summary
1940-1942 The Fisk University Research Project
World War II Years
Anecdotes
Jewish Minyans
Cotton States Exhibit for Wholesale Merchandise
Other Merchants and Prejudice
Syrian-Lebanese Migration
Street Crowds
Sights and Smells
Activities of Merchants' Children
Sounds like the Blues
Security
Side Street Merchants
1916-1956 Savoy Theater with Chart: Savoy Theater
Chapter 3 The Fading Era
Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard
1939-1960 Two Dek Ice Cream Company
1943-1953 Joe's Used Clothing
1950-1980s Fourth Street Drug Store
Civil Rights
Economic Decline
1. Farm Mechanization Causing Northward Migration Or Welfare
2. Walmart Comes to Town
3. Merchants Retiring with the Newly Educated Generation
President William Clinton's “New Market Tour” Visit
Clarksdale Becomes a Historic District
Isaacson’s Poem; Issaquena Avenue or the Changing Times
III. Issaquena Avenue Building Tour
Tour Guidelines
History
Occupants
The Schematic Street
Maps
City Directories
Chapter 4 Building 1 (Lot 41)
History
Occupants
First Floor, North Storefront
1. 1909-1913 Unknown Proprietors For Grocery and General Merchandise Store
2. 1913-1978 Campassi Brothers and Campassi & Son
A. Merchandising Strategies
B. Working in the Store
C. Customers and The Blues
D. Watching Trains Go By
E. Fires
First Floor, South Storefront
1. 1909-1940 From Pressing Shop To Grocery With Restaurant, and Pool Room, Then Cleaners
2. 1940-1975 Labens Quality Store
A. Moving to Clarksdale
B. Family Working
Second & Third Floors, Rooming House
1933-1971 Rooms For Whites
Chapter 5 Building 2 Lot 40)
History
Occupants
First Floor, North Storefront
1. 1914-1917 Lipsey & Brown, Barbers
2. 1917-1931 Three Restaurant Proprietors
3. 1931-1955 Green Beetle Restaurant and The Royal Sandwich Shop
4. 1955-1960 Johnny's Cafe, Claude Clements’ Restaurant
5. 1960-1975 WROX Radio Station Branch Office
First Floor, North Center Storefront
1. 1914-1935 A Restaurant, A Barbershop with Four Proprietors.
2. 1935-1953 Harry Gibney Craft Auto Parts and Thomas Furniture
3. 1955-1975 Three Merchants
First Floor, South Center Storefront(
1. 1914-1926 Wells Tailoring, Clarksdale Candy Kitchen and G. H. Weber
2. 1927-1940 White Barber Shop, Hays Barber Shop
3. 1940-1946 Dinkins, L. B. Price Mercantile Co.
4. 1946-1957 Cash & Carry Dry Cleaners, Dixie Drug Sundries, and Schwaller's Jewelry
5. 1959-1960 Tower Loan Brokers
6. 1963-1980 Last Four Occupants
First Floor, South Storefront
1. 1914-1918 Brown and Williams Eating House, a Grocery With Lunch Counter
2. 1923 -1927 Charles Shamoon Dry Goods
3. 1927-1930 Vincent D. Antone, grocers
4. 1933-1936 Willie Palms Beauty Salon
5. 1936-1939 Tuminello Grocers
6. 1939-1955 Frank's Dry Goods
7. 1957-1965 Morris Baskind's Dry Goods, Central Real Estate Company, Clarksdale Pecan Company
8. 1967-1980 Remaining Merchants
Second Floor Offices and Furnished Rooms
Chapter 6 Building 3 (Lot 15)
History
Occupants
Three Storefronts
One Storefront
1. 1918 Grocery Store
2. 1918-1926 Kizer Abraham and Leo Boolos, General Merchandise
North Storefront
1. 1927-1937 Cooper Market & Grocery
2. 1937-1946 Three Grocery Store Merchants
3. 1948-1958 Hollywood Men's Shop
A. Radio Advertising
B.. Life Afterwards
4. 1958-1980 Final Five Stores
South Storefront
1. 1927-1933 Sanitary Barber Shop
2. 1933-1969 Cleaning Plant's Various Owners
3. 1971-1973 Democratic Party of the State of Mississippi
Chapter 7 Building 4 (Lot 12, 13, 14)
History
Occupants
North Storefront
1. 1914-1936 A Pool Room Before Ellet, Cooper's, Tuminello's, Abraham's Grocery Stores
2. 1936-1955 Abram's Dry Goods
3. 1957-1961 Clarksdale Pecan and Walnut Company
4. 1962-1980 Four Remaining Businesses
Center Storefront
1. 1916-1922 John Palladino, Barber
2. 1923-1924 New York Store
3. 1925 Maurice J. Gole, Moving Company
4. 1927-1933 Crown Tailoring Company
5. 1933 Mitchel Drug Company
6. 1936-1939 May Dry Goods (First Location)
7. 1940-1965 Four Different Barbershop Owners
8. 1969-1980 Johnnie Cab Company, Green Liquor Store, Jacobson Brothers
South Storefront
1. 1916-1927 J. D. Sauls Drugs, and John’s Dry Goods
2. 1927-1980 Hamburger Café’s Eight Owners
A. Menu
B. Employees
C. Customers
3. 1980 Demar's Restaurant
Chapter 8 Building 5 (Lot 10, 11)
History
Occupants
First Floor, One Storefront
1. 1916 to 1919 White Star Market
2. 1919-1920 Gates Tire and Vulcanizing Company
3. 1920 1933 Mitchell Drug Store
4. 1933-1934 White Star Market (Second location)
First Floor, Three Storefronts
1. 1936-1947 Sherman's Changes from Groceries to Variety Store
2. 1934-1942 Albert's Fashion Shop- (First Location)
3. 1936-1945 Markham then Canfield Drug Company
First Floor, One Storefront Restored
1. 1948-1978 Jacobson Furniture Store
First Floor, South Storefront
1. 1923-1927 Shakespeare the Bootblack
Second Floor, Rooming House
Chapter 9 Building 6 (Lot 8, 9)
History:
Proposed Movie Theater Location
Occupants
North Storefront
1. 1904-1919 Alexander Lumber becomes Bornman Lumber Company
2. 1926 1933 Kizer J. Abraham, General Merchandise
3. 1933-1942 Califf's Dry Goods (First Location)
A. Helping Parents at Califf's
B. Califf's Customers
4. 1941-1970 Albert's Fashion Shop (Second Location)
5. 1973-1980 The Fashionette, Beauty Shop Fashionette, Barrett's Discount Shoes
South Storefront
1. 1926-1931 White Star Market
2. 1931-1933 Bacharach's
3. 1933-1939 White Star Market Returns
4. 1939-1941 The Great American Atlantic and Pacific Grocery [A&P]
5. 1942-1970 Sol Califf's Dry Goods (Second Location)
6. 1978: Helen's Discount Store
Chapter 10 Building 7 (Lots 5, 6. 7)
History
Occupants
1927 -1929 Antone Filling Station
North Storefront
1. 1933-1936 Jacobson Dry Goods
2. 1936-1943: John Brothers and Miss Annie's Store
3. 1943-1961 Leon Binder
4. 1962-1980 Remaining Two Stores
Center Storefront
1. 1936-1941 Barbershop
2. 1941-1970 Delta Drug Company
South Storefront
1. 1929-1940 Restaurant's Names: Ferris Open Kitchen, Strand Cafe, Tony's Cafe
2. 1941-1963 Valley Supply Company and Campassi's Hardware and Sports Goods
3. 1963-1975 Brooks Surplus Store (Second Location)
Three Storefront Merge as Two Storefronts
Chapter 11 Building 8 (Lot 4)
History
Occupants
One Storefront
1. 1921-1931: Clarksdale Creamery, McLeran Ice Cream, Delta Dairies
2. 1931-1933 Issaquena Department Store
3. 1936-1956 City 5 10 25 Cent Variety Store and Its Name Variations
4. 1960-1980 Coury Dress Shop, then U-Sav Shoe Shop
Chapter 12 Building 9 (Lots 1,2,3)
History
Occupants
First Floor:
1920 Two Stores Open in Ballard Building
First Floor, North Storefront
1. 1921--1927 Two Bakeries: Dixie Bakery and Lee Baking Company
2. 1927-1933 Max Kerstine's Dry Goods (Second Location)
3. 1933-1973 Mack's
A. Moving to Clarksdale
B. History of Name
C. Merchandising
D. Working in the Store
E. Wholesale Buying
F. Memorable Clerks
G. Daily Opening and Closing
H. Customers
I. Selling the Store
First Floor, Center Storefront
1. 1920 Jake Friedman's Ladies Ready-to-Wear, First Jewish Issaquena Merchant
2. 1923-1929 Martin Pure Milk Company
3. 1925-1927 Max Kerstine's Dry Goods (First Location)
4. 1929-1945 One Drug Store: Cash Drug Store, Haggard Drug Store, and Brooks Drug Store
5. 1946-1967 Palace Drug Store #1
6. 1970 1975 Dollar Store and Warehouse Outlet Store
First Floor, South Storefront
1. 1922-1942 Piggly Wiggly Grocery Store #2
2. 1942-1945 Coury Grocery and Market and Wing's Cash Store
3. 1945-1953 Alias Cash Grocery
First Floor, South Storefront
Two Storefronts
Center South Storefront
1. 1956-1976 Goodfellows Market (Second Location)
South Storefront (Corner)
1. 1953-1975 Fair Deal Grocery #2
Second Floor, Rooming House
Chapter 13 Building 10 (West, Lot 1)
History
Occupants
South Storefront
1 1916-1932 First Grocery Store
2. 1933-1956 Goodfellow's Market (First Location)
A. Family Surname Spelling
B. Coming to America
C. Merchant Startup
D. School Discrimination and Local Economics
E. Inside Goodfellow’s Market
F. Earliest Memories
G. Buying Wholesale
H. Nonfamily Helpers and Customers
I. Seasonal Business
J. Food Supplies During WWII
K. Store Hours
North Storefront
1. 1936-1939 Mitchell Drug Store
2. 1939-1959 Lucky Café #2
3. 1960-1962 House of Bargains (Second Location)
4. 1963 House of Goodwill Youth Center
5. 1963-1966 Powell Clothing Store
6. 1966 Ace Liquor Store
Chapter 14 Buildings 11 & 12 (West, Lot 2)
History
Occupants
1895 to 1919 Three Residences
Building 11
Two Storefronts
1919-1929 Giatras, Calbros and Joe Wing
One Storefront
1. 1931-1945 Sherman’s
2. 1945-1947 Hill Bennett Furniture
3. 1947-1957 Sherman Changes Store Names
4. 1957-1960 House of Bargains, (First Location) Home Furniture & Appliance Company
5. 1967-1978 Palace Drug Store #1 (Second Location)
Building 12
One Storefront
1. 1923-1933 Eating House Changes Owner
Two Storefronts: South and North Storefronts
1. 1936-1937 Double Dip Ice Cream Parlor , Charles Hoffman, Jeweler
2. 1936-1937 White Cafe
3. 1937-1940 Auerbach Shoe Shop (First Location)
4. 1939-1946 John J Mason, Photographer
5. 1948-1951 Nicie L. Bright
6 1953-1957 Sherman's
7. 1957-1960 Mike and Ike's Grill
Chapter 15 Building 13 (West, Lot 3)
History
Occupants
South Storefront
1. 1928-1933 Jitney Jungle Grocery Store #2
2. 1933 1980 Stetson Men's Shop
A. Employee and Short-Term Manager
North Storefront
1. 1929-1936 The Bakery with Two Owners
2. 1936-1980 Jacobson Department Store
A. Inventory
B. Sales tickets Versus Bartering
C. Purchasing inventory
D. Memorable Clerks
E. Store Closing
Chapter 16 Building14 & 15 (Lot 4)
History
Occupants
1910-1923 One Dwelling prior to Commercial Building 14
Building 14
1. 1923-1929 Busy Bee Cafe
2. 1933-1948 New World Barber Shop, Arnold Brothers Barber Shop
Three Storefronts
South Storefront
1946-1960 Two Shoe Shiners: Wiley Riley, Harvey Davis
Center Storefront
1940-1959 Arnold Brothers, Sam's Sandwich Shop and Harvey Davis Restaurant
North Storefront
1. 1940-1955 Auerbach Shoe Repair (Second Location)
2. 1957-1958 Clarksdale Finance Service
3. 1960-1961 Sherman's
Building 15
One Storefront
1. 1923-1936 Annie Dean Eating House to Colored Lunch Room
2. 1936-1949 White Rose Dry Cleaners
3. 1949-1951 Army Surplus Store
4. 1953-1954 Brooks Surplus Store (First Location)
A. Working in the Store
B. Purchasing inventory
C. Customers
D. Closing
5. 1955-1957 Delta Mercantile (Third Location)
6. 1959-1970 Mark's Tailor Shop
Chapter 17 Building 16 (West Lot 5)
History
Occupants
1916-1923 Three Residential Homes
1920s Residents
Three Commercial Buildings
South Storefront
1927-1949 Shoe Shop Known by Two Names
Center Storefront:
1927-1948 Jeremiah “Jerry” Green, The Tailor
North Storefront
1. 1927-1948 Delta Barber Shop
A. Juke Joints before the Roxy
Building 16
Three Buildings Convert to One Storefront
1949-1967 New Roxy Theater
A. Naming the Theater
B. Loyal Employees
C. Managing the New Roxy after 1962
Chapter 18 Building 17 (Lot 6)
History
Occupants
1905-1919 Two Residences
First Floor, South Storefront
1. 1923-1925 Charles Abraham's Billiards
2. 1928-1931 Gilmer Grocery Company
3. 1934-1937 Joe Toy Chop Suey House
4. 1937-1941 Michael's 5, 10 and 25 Cent Store
5. 1941-1942 Rossie's Super Market
6. 1942-1945 Hill Bennett Furniture Store, South Clarksdale Dry Goods
7. 1945-1950 The Roxy Theater
8. 1952-1972 Bacharach's Department Store
First Floor, North Storefront
1. 1923-1927 Goodman Baking Company
2. 1927-1929 Cut Rate Drug Store
3. 1929-1930 The Orange Crush Bottling Company
4. 1934-1936 Frank Giatras Grocery and Restaurant (Second Location)
5. 1936 1939 One Minute Cafe and Rossie's Cash Grocery
6. 1939-1972 Abe May Company and South Clarksdale Dry Goods
A. Buying Merchandise
B. Clerks
C. Customers
D. Real Estate Added and Lost
Second Floor, Offices and Furnished Rooms
A. Medical Offices
B. The Beauty Shop
C. Two Professional Organizations
D. Coahoma County Headquarters for Negro Schools
E. Immaculate Conception Catholic Mission
F. Photographer
Chapter 19 Buildings 18 & 19 (West Lot 7)
History
Occupants
1914-1964 The Big House
Building 18
1927-1965 Shoe Shiner Stand with Four Black-American Owners
Building 19
1. 1916-1927 Yazoo & Mississippi Valley Railroad Passenger Depot (Y& MVRR)
2. 1927-1929 W. M. McCloud, Peanut Stand
3. 1936-1946 Palms Beauty Salon
4. 1946-1950 Assaf Gattis, Home Furnishings (First Location)
Building 19
Two Storefronts
1. 1950-1955 Frozen Gold Ice Cream and Blue Heaven Inn
2. 1955-1964 Mason Studio
3. 1955-1965 Four Occupants in 349½ Issaquena
Chapter 20 Building 20 (Lot 8)
History
Occupants
Residential
Building 20
First Floor, South Storefront
1. 1921-1923 Cooper's Market (First Location)
2. 1923-1929 Gibson Drug Company (First Location)
3. 1929 Weber Jewelry Company
First Floor, North Storefront
1. 1920-1929 Billiard Parlor, Poolroom Owners
2. 1929-1933 The Fashion Shop
3. 1933 One Minute Cafe
First Floor, One Storefront
1. 1933-1942 Thomas Furniture Company
2. 1943-1956 The Hub Department Store
Three Storefronts
First Floor, South Storefront
1. 1957: Louis Campassi & Sons
2. 1957–1959 Lunceford Bargain Store
3. 1965-1967 Clarksdale Salvage Store
4. 1969 Clement & Son Fabric Store
5. 1975 and 1977 Little Lower Shoe Store
First Floor, Center Storefront
1. 1957–1959 Fuller Products,
2. 1960–1963 Peter Pan Thrift Store
3. 1969–1975 The Mason Studio
4. 1978–1979 Roebuck Clothing Store
First Floor, North Storefront
1. 1957–1975 Branch #4 of the Superior Cleaners & Furriers,
2. 1978–1979 Funhouse Amusements
Second Floor, Furnished Rooms & Beauty Salon
Chapter 21 Buildings 21 & 22 (Lot 17)
History
Occupants
Residential
Building 21
First Floor, South Storefront
1. 1917-1923 Reno Cafe On the South Side
2. 1929-1933 Gibson Drug Store (Second Location)
3. 1933-1973 OK Grocery's Three Owners
First Floor, North Storefront
1. 1923-1933 Reno Cafe On The North Side
2. 1934-1964 Reno Cafe Becomes Belmont Cafe
3. 1965 to 1980 Smith Tavern, Tomlinson Used Clothing and Gates Piano Company
Second Floor, Furnished Rooms
Building 22
1. 1928 1930 Quick Service Market
2. 1936-1938 and 1946-1950 L. B. Price Mercantile Company
3. 1939 to 1946 The Fruit Store
4. 1950-1955 Assaf Gattis
5. 1955-1967 Dave Auerbach Shoe Shop (Third Location)
6. 1970-1980 One Retail Store and Two Cafes
Second Floor, Furnished Rooms & Businesses Chart
Chapter 22 Building 23 (West Lot 17.1)
History
The European Hotel
Occupants
Boardinghouse
1914-1928 The European Hotel Faces South Edwards Avenue
First Floor, South Storefront
1. 1927-1929 Joe Sherman's Emporium
2. 1936-1955 Lurie's Department Store
A. Physical Description
B. Inventory
C. Working in the Store
D. Customers, Closing Time
3. 1955-1978 Remaining Years of Four Occupants
First Floor, Center Storefront
1. 1936-1939 Baker Mercantile Company
A. Moving Baker Mercantile to Issaquena
B. Inventory
C. Saturday Clerks
D. Customers
2. 1940-1949 Self-Service Dry Goods
A. Self-Service Dry Goods to Binder’s
3. 1951-1955 Taylor's Department Store, Irwin's Bargain Store
4. 1955-1965 Remaining Three Occupants
First Floor, North Storefront
1. 1928-1932 Cash Drug Store, Sanitary Fish Market, Arkansas Fruit Stand
2. 1937-1956 Isaacson Department Store
3. 1960-1978 Clarksdale Appliance Company
Second Floor, Offices and Furnished Rooms
1. 1909-1928 Hotel Lodgers
2. 1929-1980 Second Floor Furnished Rooms
End of The Tour
IV. Appendix
Map 1 The Delta
Map 2 First Proposal—1869 Clarksville Plat
Map 3 The First 1888 Clarksdale Plat Map
Map 4 Issaquena Avenue Ashton Land Division #2-1901
Map 5 1892 Corner of Issaquena and railroad tracks.
Nelson Jones’ New World
Map 6 1897 Shanties on the South Side
Map 7A. 1905 West side: a church and a school
Map 7B 1914 East Side
Map 8 Changes due to Yellow Bottoms fire
<![if !supportLists]>A. <![endif]>1918 Before the Fire
<![if !supportLists]>B. <![endif]>1923 After the Fire
Map 9 1929 East and West Side, Issaquena Avenue
Map 10 1966 East and West Side, Issaquena Avenue
Street Schematic
V. Acknowledgments
VI. The Author
VII. The Photographer
VIII. Bibliography
IX. 4 Index
A. Business and Organizations
B. General
C. Names
D. Places and Streets