121 E Michigan Ave
This brick block was built in 1881 by Charles E. Hookway to house the grocery and crockery partnership of Feckensheur & Hookway. At the time, there were six grocery stores in town, and a 1900 news clipping described this one as “the largest, most commodious and best lighted of any store of the kind in the town.”
The Feckensheur & Hookway partnership dated back to at least 1877. In 1883, Charles Feckensheur left the business and was replaced by Willis Silkworth, forming the new partnership of Hookway & Silkworth. The store operated under that name until 1917, when Hookway closed the business to move to California. He sold the store to Snyder & Fuller, also grocers.
Over the years, the building has seen many uses. While it was most often a grocery store, it also served as a butcher shop, a health food bar, a pharmacy extension, a video and antique shop, and most recently, a restaurant. Today, it is home to Asher Creek Creamery & Deli.
A few notable milestones in its history:
•In 1909, it operated as Charlie E. Hookway Grocery, Crockery & Bazaar.
•The store closed in September 1917 and was taken over by Snyder & Fuller, who needed more space than their previous location.
•On December 7, 1933, Ford Smith opened the Red and White Store here, which later became a 5&dime through the 1950s and 1960s.
•From December 6, 1945 to December 1, 1947, it was Deunlap’s Self Serve Grocery.
•It became Sawdy’s Self Serve Grocery on December 1, 1947, operating until June 10, 1948.
•In June 1948, Bob Niehaus took over, and it became Niehaus Self Serve Grocery, remaining into the 1950s.
•In the 1980s, the building housed a VHS video store.