Page 27 - Senior Link Magazine Summer 2021- Online Magazine
P. 27

LOCAL HISTORY










                                                                                  visit Mrs. Malouf at their original
                                                                                  store, where Mr. Malouf would
                                                                                  pull on a chain light above each
                                                                                  clothing display as the ladies
                                                                                  viewed merchandise, following
                                                                                  them to promptly turn off the
                                                                                  lights as they walked away to
                                                                                  save money. Mr. Mitchell Malouf,
                                                                                  originally from Lebanon, built
                                                                                  his successful clothing business
                                                                                  that thrives today in Lubbock
                                                                                  with prudent strategies in Post
                                                                                  during the 40s and 50s, no doubt
               C.W. Post                    Marjorie Merriweather Post            developed from surviving the
             town raised $35,000 in 1916, to   within several blocks. Johnny      Depression. For example, Johnny
             bid unsuccessfully to become      explains, “Parents worked hard all   recalls that Mr. Malouf walked
             the future site of the college later   week and then loaded their cars   everywhere to save gas, read the
             known as Texas Tech University.   on Saturday with all the children   stock market report in the post
             It seemed as if C.W.’s lofty dreams   they could squeeze and parked in   office newspaper daily to save
             had died with him, but citizens   town to visit with people in the   five cents, and bought his peanuts
             like Johnny reminisce about the   wide streets.” Even in the 1970s   from the penny machine at the tire
             utopian society that continued to   and 80s, my husband Tray Payne   store because it dispensed more
             thrive.                           recalls “making the summer day     peanuts than any other machine
                                               rounds downtown as a child,        in town. His clothing store began
             Johnny fondly recalls memories    starting at Collier Drug (his dad’s   as a resale shop, with Mr. Malouf
             of his childhood in Post, except   pharmacy), grabbing a burger at   refurbishing gently worn shoes
             when Dr. D.C. Williams made       Corner Grocery, talking Johnny’s   and clothes for his customers. Mrs.
             necessary and routine house       ear off at the post office, listening   Malouf was a character as well,
             calls to his family. “If you saw   to a Charles                      reportedly exasperated when a
             him walking up to your front      McCook story
             door with his little black bag,   at the dentist’s
             you just knew you’d get a shot    office, poking
             before he left!” But he and Nancy   my head in
             proudly remember their small      Wackers, Twins
             town booming, with eight car      Fashion, or
             dealerships in Post at one time,   Hudman’s
             supported by townspeople and      Furniture, and
             nearby ranchers who traded        ending with a
             locally because “cars weren’t as   free sucker from
             reliable as they are now,” and you   the bank before
             needed nearby dealers to repair   riding my bike
             problems as they arose. They also   back home.”
             enjoyed eight “mom-and-pop"
             grocery stores, two drug stores   In the 1950s,
             with soda fountains, shopping,    Nancy and her
             pool halls, and a movie theater   mother loved to    Tray Payne on bicycle with father Don and brother Tyge




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