Columbia Decorated for Christmas

"Thanks to the efforts of the Rotary and Kiwanis Clubs, Columbia's Public Square is gaily decorated with colored lights, adding greatly to the "Christmas Spirit." which prevails at this season...

"The beautifully decorated shop windows surrounding the Square, filled with all types of gifts to tempt even the most discriminating purchaser and the bright colored lights which are turned on at dusk, makes one realize that Christmas is almost here."

• The Rod & Gun Shop (Bakery Building) was where Moore's Pool Room is located today. Next to the Columbian Theatre, on the North Walk Off the Square.


• Joseph Allison's Nu-Art Studio was located in the Hotel Miller building. It fronted on Greensburg Street, where the parking area is for the Courthouse Annex today.


• Herb Taylor's The Men's Shop and Hattie Lee Willis' Willis Dress Shop occupied the building between what is now Harris & Harris Law office and the Mike Mann's Building on the Square (2010: Cafe on the Square). Amazing to think that, in those days, the finest apparel almost anywhere could be bought in Columbia, KY. Those who had too much post-war wealth and needed to flaunt it went to Louisville to Stewart's, but in those days, Columbia was a retailing center.


• Tom Brown's Brown Drug Company was located in what is now Harris & Harris. Paull Drug Company was located in what is now the left side of Reed Brothers Insurance Agency.
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• Columbia General Appliance was located in the back of the Russell Building (Lerman's then), on the corner of Jamestown and Reed Streets.
• Marshall's Variety Store was in the building which now houses Grimsley's Jewelry. It was owned by Mr. Paul Marshall. My aunt, Stella Cooley at the time, was a clerk in the store for a time.


• Marshall's Furniture Store was owned by Clyde Marshall, I believe. It was operated at various times by Bobby Marshall and Charles Marshall. It remember the business in what is now Rumors Salon on Campbellsville Street, but I don't know it was there then.


• I can't place just where the first Style Shop was located, but I do remember that Paul and Mabel Jones were two of the most professional retailers ever in Columbia. The last Style Shop location was facing the Square in the corner with the Well Wallk.


• Wooten's Department Store, owned by two wonderful people, Ruel and Runie Wooten, had two full floors and a balcony, a total of about 3,200 square feet, in the Ben Arnold building south of Mike Mann's M&M Furniture Building.