• Sunday-What'sUP December 19 - 11:13 pm

Once we make it through another winter, this spring Pasty Central will celebrate 10 years of bringing you a "Glimpse of Life from the U.P." My favorite aspect of the Pasty Cam and the Guest Gallery are the old photos which transport us back through time to the Copper Country and all across Upper Michigan.

In the heart of the Keweenaw in the late 1930's, in the small village of Allouez (pronounced Al'-ooh-way), one enthusiastic entrepreneur served the community's retail needs. John E. Kivela is visible in the top photo (extreme right, toward the back of the store), and also the middle-man (no pun intended) in the bottom photo (white sleeves and vest). John E Kivela, Jr. - US Army, Sergeant Major (retired) Blue Ridge Summit, PA. - sent us today's Shoebox Memory. John mentioned that the store was on US-41 between Effinger's Standard Oil gas station and the Allouez Ice Rink. His dad delivered groceries from Allouez to Copper Harbor including Eagle River and Eagle Harbor, as well as Cliff mine location.

Our thanks to John for scanning and sharing these wonderful bits of history. How the retail world has changed in 65+ years... Which reminds me, today is the last day to order pasties online in time for delivery before Christmas. Last week we surpassed the 300,000 mark on the old pasty counter, well on our way to a million of these delicious hand-held meat and potato pies, delivered anywhere in the U.S. Now, there's a taste of Copper Country history!

Stay warm. Have a good week :o)

love the pictures, and down here today, hats will be worn too!!!

JJ

Great shot.

My mom Lillian would have loved these photos and bit of history. She was born in Copper City but raised with her eight siblings in Allouez. Her parents were John and Anna Nelson.

Sure doesn't look like Wal-Mart!

No it doesn't Paula. I would much rather shop at a place like the Allouez Store than the bain of civilization, Wally World!!

The sad part is, I can remember a store in our small town that looked like the one in the picture!

Wow, a lot of history in these pictures. My grandpa's family ran a store like this in South Range around the same time. Their name is Eskola.

Brita--

My family probably shopped there. So many
changes...but is it really progress?

There is a model of a country store that operated in northern Wisconsin at the Peter White Library in Marquette.

No, they do not look like any Wallyworld I know. But to the folks who lived in Allouez, they must had thought they were really living to have such a store close by and probably believed there could be nothing better coming!!!!!

Have a Great week and a very joyous Christmas!!!!

My kind of store.....I am almost 60 and have never set foot in a Wally type store nor will I ever. I witnessed first hand what they did to Claremont, NH, where I grew up. They open up outside of town and kill the long time merchants.
Save a nickel at your peril........You will eventually have only one place to shop....Waiting for the 4th of July.....from Gay to Allouez, the K is the place to be........

69 TOOT : Couldn't agree more! Never been in a Wal-Mart, most likely never will. Never a K-Mart
either (well maybe once or twice) I'm a bit older then you and part of my younger days were spent in Detroit where we did go to SS Kresge (forerunner of K-Mart); FW Woolworth; Sears, JL Hudsons etc. It's a shame that of late many of the old family owned IGA markets are fading!

The featured store here is SO much like the market we discussed here on Aug. 3or4th pastycam regards Pewabic and the store then that was on the west side of US 41 about between Quincy #2 and the old Franklin Mine. Really pulled up memorys of those days in the 40s when we went to it often. We lived just 2 or 3 houses from the Quincy #2 power house and also used to walk straight down Quincy Hill from about where the old Pewabic School was at the end of the road on an old path that ended somewhere above where the stone steps that go down to M26 are. It took us kids about 10 minutes to get down to the old A & P that was on one of the streets near there. Any one remember? Then it took us about 1/2 hour to walk back uphill carrying groceries! There was a beautiful little spring coming out of the hill about 1/2 way up where we stopped and rested and took a drink! I guess the tram runs up and down there now in about the same place (?) because we essentially had the same view! Yes, Those were the days!

I'd LOVE to shop in the Allouez Store. I can see a few things I'd like in the photo. LOL... I can even hear the floor squeeking. Count me in for Christmas shopping! I'd take this store over WallyWorld ANY day of the week!