One downtown block, a hundred years apart — and the store names a whole town still remembers.
Batesville (East George Street)Last updated November 6, 2026
Then and now
Drag to compare.
BeforeAfter
East George Street in the early twentieth century — a sepia postcard: Model T-era cars, brick storefronts, a DRUGS sign, and the factory smokestack at the end of the street. The same street today — Brand Source and Geis Electronics on the right, the same brick factory and its smokestack still standing at the end.
The story so far
What happened here.
The old picture is a sepia postcard: East George Street in the early twentieth century, Model T-era cars parked along brick storefronts, a DRUGS sign on the right, and at the end of the street the factory smokestack and a water tower. The new picture is the same street today — Brand Source and Geis Electronics on the right, the same brick factory and its smokestack still standing at the end, the water tower gone.
Darrick asked what stores people remembered on this stretch, and the answers became a roll-call of a downtown that used to sell everything: shoes, groceries, TV repair, insurance, clothing, drugs, furniture, law, barbering, auto parts, building supplies, and a five-and-dime. One neighbor's grandfather, Everett Wilson, kept his State Farm insurance office on the street, where a 6.5-ounce Coke cost a nickel next door and a 7-ounce Pepsi cost a dime across the street. And Nolte's old stained-glass pharmacy sign is now at the Batesville Historical Center.
The roll-call of names neighbors rattled off runs long: Western Auto, Kroger, the feed mill, Taft Furniture, Stewart's Clothing Store, The Brown Bag, the Cobbler Shop, Fullenkamp Hardware and Sports, Nobbe Clothing, The Fair Store, The Home Outfitters, 5&Dime, Dr. Robert Rock DDS, Walsmans Furniture, Nolte's Pharmacy, Steinkamp and Company, Telles Ready to Wear, Gannons Jewelry, American Furniture Company, Farmers Feed, the A&P grocery store, Koesters Shoe Repair, and Bentfield's Barber Shop. (Spellings vary in the comments — Stewart's also appears as Stewert's, and Nobbe as Noble and Nobby.)
The postcard view: DRUGS sign, Model T-era cars, factory smokestack and water tower at the end of East George.
Mid-20th century
The roll-call era: Kroger on the corner across from Mary Lou's, next to Ison's Pizza; the Fair Store, Western Auto, Nolte's Pharmacy at 1 East George, and the rest.
1950s–70s
Everett Wilson keeps his State Farm office on George Street for about twenty years.
Undated
Zimmerman Sunoco becomes Ken's Auto Repair. Nolte's Pharmacy closes before the RomWeber apartments are finished.
Today
Brand Source and Geis Electronics hold the right side; the factory smokestack still stands; the water tower is gone.
What neighbors remember
According to the locals who lived it.
Sometimes helped her grandpa, Everett Wilson, in his State Farm insurance office on George Street — a big deal as a kid. No computers, so she did filing and typing on an old Royal manual typewriter, while people stopped in for insurance questions or just to say hi. If she wanted a 6.5-ounce bottle of Coca-Cola she went next door to Ricke's Shoe Repair for five cents; for a 7-ounce Pepsi she went across the street to the Farmers' Feed Store for ten cents. Her grandpa kept the office on George for about twenty years, in the 1950s through the 70s; Ison's uses the space for storage now.
— Linda Anderson-McClain
Names the stretch's stores, not one but a few: Cartee Shoe Store, Jay Cee Food Store, Harley TV Repair, Everett Wilson State Farm Insurance, Fullenkamps, The Fair Store, Nobbe Clothing, Brockman Drug Store, Stewart's, Walsmans Furniture, Wycoff & Greeman Law Office, Bentfields Barber Shop, Western Auto, Steinkamps Building Supplies, Krogers, Laugle Machine Shop, Ricke's Shoe Repair, Batesville Feed Mills, Zimmermans Standard Gas Station.
— Paul Anthony Werner
When she was a kid, Kroger was on the corner across from Mary Lou's — next to Ison's Pizza.
— Tracy Roell
Worked at Carolyn's Camera and Record Center. Got her wedding rings at Gannons Jewelry. Remembers the fabric shop and Western Auto — her first bicycle came from there — then Crafts & Occasions, in the building later replaced by the Walnut Street Variety Shop.
— Sally Widener
As a little girl she and her sister got up early and went to the store with their mom and dad. While her mom shopped, her dad walked them over to the donut place for their favorite doughnut and chocolate milk, and they sat in the car waiting for her to finish.
— Nikki Wagner
When the RomWeber Campus was redeveloped with apartments, the idea was that people wanted to age in place — those out in the countryside would want to live closer to their doctors, grocery store, and pharmacy. Nolte's Pharmacy was at 1 East George Street, very convenient for tenants — but it closed before the apartments were finished.
— RomWeber Marketplace
Asks who remembers Danners — “they had it all.” Tim Bedel's mom worked there, and Mark Mobley worked there all through high school. What kind of store it was is still unknown.
— Greg Niese
Names Blank's Pharmacy, and Granny Stewart's dress shop. Cook's Performance is where Blank's was now.
— Rheadawn Young
Remembers a jewelry shop at the side entrance to Radio Shack, then the arcade, and billiards above Taft.
— Mark Mobley
Zimmerman Sunoco was replaced by Ken's Auto Repair.
— Ed Darringer
The restaurant at George and Walnut was the Brown Bag, owned by a Goldsmith. Before that it was “The Place,” owned by his grandmother Carrie Bachus.
— Tim Volz
Leonard Narwold and Ace Moorman worked at the feed mill.
— Rosa Karen
Still to learn
Open questions.
What was Danners? (Greg Niese asks; Tim Bedel's mom and Mark Mobley both worked there, but nobody has said what kind of store it was.)
Was Blank's Pharmacy on George Street? Rheadawn Young places it where Cook's Performance is now; Tim Bedel says it wasn't on George at all.
Which drug store was the “DRUGS” sign in the vintage photo — Brockman's, Blank's, Nolte's, or another?
When did Kroger leave the George Street corner?
Mary Ellen Rippe's photo of the water tower as it looks now is in a reply thread — it still needs to be added to the page.
Share a memory, a photo, or a correction — or answer one of the open questions above. Submissions are reviewed by a person before anything appears publicly, and nothing is posted as-is. Photos are used only with your permission and with credit as you give it.
Last updated November 6, 2026. New memories appear here after review.
