Bena Mae’s Kitchen: Hairnets, Hatpins and Old Nostalgia

Many people of my generation remember with fondness and sadness the glory days of the dime stores…McCrory’s, McClellens’s, Grants, Kresses and other names too numerous to mention. Included among these retail stores back then that were the hub of small towns was also J. J. Newberry who opened his first store in 1911. From the 1930’s to the 1960’s, the Newberry chain was among America’s retail powerhouses.

It was at Newberry’s, located on Main Street in Corbin that I had my first job. I was 15 years old, a student at Corbin High school where I took advantage of the Distributive Education course that allowed me to attend school in the mornings and work behind the fountain at Newberry’s in the afternoon, earning high school credits in the process. I made $15 a week which was big money to a high school student.

I loved the job. In many ways it was an excellent start on entering the work force that taught me many things from which I was to profit later in life.

Many people of a certain age will have fond memories of shopping in the old dime stores, wandering the aisles for a spool of thread, festive Christmas decorations, a gold fish or parakeet, a handful of hot roasted cashews — oh, the flavorful aroma of the cashews and peanuts stand — or a bottle of Evening in Paris perfume. This was always a big seller at Christmas time
And then there was the long lunch counter where busy shoppers, store clerks and owners, and hungry customers paused to have a coke or a meal or a grilled cheese sandwich. Or a friendly chat with the girls behind the counter. Seeing them day to day, every day, we felt they were like family.

The lunch counter was the busiest place in the store. I was one of five or six girls who were stationed there permanently and I enjoyed being a part of the group immensely. Our customers were a microcosm of the whole town…we knew them by their first names, went to school with them, attended the same church, lived in the same neighborhoods, like I said, they were like family.
We came to know their private secrets, peculiarities, and idiosyncrasies. It was Psychology 101.

There was the man who was manager of a department store up the street we could set our clocks by. At ten o’clock every morning he would seat himself on the same stool, newspaper in hand. and order a cup of coffee, always adding, “make sure it’s piping hot.” Then he would add several ice cubes to the coffee to cool it down.

Every day we had the same argument with the lady who ran the beauty shop next door. She insisted we fry her eggs well done because that would lessen the risk of “hardening of the arteries” if we fried them well done. We tried to convince her that she was wrong but her mind was set and we got nowhere with our argument to the contrary.

Each of the girls behind the counter were assigned certain stations during the crowded lunch hour — one serving drinks, another washing dishes and backing up someone who got behind, one serving the salad bar and another one filling the plates which consisted of a meat and two vegetables … 35 cents, meatloaf, mashed potatoes, and peas. It was called a Blue Plate Special.
Many times it was my misfortune to wait on the same lady who, always, as soon as she gave me her order went into a long dissertation on how she couldn’t eat kraut, cabbage, or cole slaw.

“I’ve got this ulcerated stomach I have to watch out for,” she would say for the sake of everyone within hearing distance, assuming they cared one way or the other. After hearing this week after week, I finally came to the conclusion that cabbage didn’t agree with her. And became an expert on ulcerated stomachs.

When things settled down after the busy lunch hour, we could relax and take things a little easier. The soda fountain was a busy place just before the opening of the Hippodrome Theater across the street where folks usually waited for the show to start. It was a place to spend time catching up on the news of the town, who was sick, had anybody met the new pastor and what was he like, recent births or deaths, marriages or divorces. No need to buy a newspaper, you could get the scoop at Newberry’s fountain.

I loved working at Newberry’s and find it sad that the dime stores and lunch counters have almost gone the way of the dinosaur. The years I worked there are among my happiest memories and so are the people I served across the counter.
They taught me a lot about human nature, some of it weird, some of it funny, but mostly how fascinating people can be. And they still are. Just look around you.

*****

Bush’s Pinto Bean Pie
This delicious take on a traditional pecan pie is served at the BUSH’S® Visitor Center in Chestnut Hill, TN.

Ingredients
2 unbaked pie crusts
3 cups sugar
2 sticks margarine
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 ½ cups BUSH’S® Pinto Beans with
    ¼ cup of remaining juice
1 ½ cups pecan pieces
6 eggs

Directions
Beat eggs in bowl. Once well beaten, combine with remaining ingredients and pour into unbaked pie shells.
Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes to 1 hour

Prep: 10 Minutes
Cook: 45 Minutes
Total: 55 Minutes