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Crossing back over High Street, we will come across another mainstay of the clothing market in Westerly, Kenyon’s Men and Boys Shop, where many a young man stops by with their parents to purchase formalwear.  Two doors down from Kenyon’s are McLellan’s 5 Cent to $1 Store which occupies three storefronts.[1]  McLellan’s is the place where you can go to find just about anything you could ever hope to find with its rows and rows of racks and glass cases displaying various wares.[2] To put it quite simply, there is a very good reason why their motto is “Try McLellan’s First.”[3]

Next to McLellan’s is a shop better suited to parents than to children.  Formed in 1902, the C.W. Willard Hardware store is in its sixth decade serving the homeowners and workers of Westerly.  On top of their large selection of kitchen furnishings, farm and garden tools, paints, and even mill supplies, Willard’s is also the place to go to for all your radio needs.[4]

While parents explore all that Willard’s has to offer, children will find more entertainment two doors down at Nash’s newsstand which specializes in “toys, stationery, and novelties.”[5]  As we cross back over High Street once more, we will see Tiny Town, which features clothing for “infants to pre-teens.”[6] Tiny Town is a relatively new arrival in this location, having been further up High Street just six years ago.[7]

The penultimate stop on High Street during our tour will be a one-stop-shop for all your sporting good requests, the Thomas J. Burdick Sporting Goods Store at 49 High Street.  Here, shoppers can purchase Bata Bullets sneakers, the very same worn by the NBA’s Baltimore Bullets, as well as the latest from U.S. Keds for the whole family.[8]  On top of shoes and athletic gear, Burdick’s is also the place to go for toys, especially as Christmas rolls around.

For our last stop on High Street, we will be visiting Morrone’s Dairy Bar and Restaurant at the intersection with Canal Street for a bite to eat.  At Morrone’s, you can get both lunch and dinner, and it is a popular hangout where students are known to congregate after the school day comes to an end.  According to one of these students, Morrone’s is the place to go for a hamburger, fries, and a vanilla Coke.[9]

Canal Street

Right around the corner on Canal Street, we’ll first make our way in front of Thom McAn’s shoe store, where each foot is meticulously measured.  It is the perfect shoe store as long as you aren’t in a hurry![10] Just beyond McAn’s is Bannon’s Pharmacy which has been serving Westerly since before the first World War.  The pharmacy has been advertising free delivery as of late, a service that is sure to appeal to many.  While Bannon’s is not far from Vars Brother’s Pharmacy, the two institutions certainly have their differences.  According to at least one person I have spoken to, Bannon’s is considerably “more austere.”[11]

On the other side of Canal Street, you’ll see the United Theater, the best place in town to catch a movie.  Next door to the United is Limelight Record Shoppe, a newer establishment, but certainly a welcome one.  At Limelight, you can pick up some of today’s hottest singles, including “Telstar” by the Tornadoes, “Twistin’ the Night Away” by Sam Cooke, and an album I highly recommend: “Surfin’ Safari” by the Beach Boys.[12]

After digging through the crates at Limelight, we’ll make our way down to the next shop on Canal Street, Montgomery Ward, and Co. Department Store.  The yellow brick building is notable for the distinct company logo emblazoned at the top.  The building was constructed in 1928 and has been the home of the Department Store ever since.[13]  Montgomery Ward and Co., much like McCormick’s, is a great place to find just about anything you’re looking for, and their appliance section is top-notch.[14]

A bit further down Canal Street, we’ll see Smith’s Flower Shop, which has been the go-to spot for all your flower needs from massive arrangements to small bouquets for more than thirty years.[15]  Now, we will safely cross Canal Street one last time so that we can make just a couple more stops.  At 28 High Street is Brophy’s News and Music Store, a great spot to browse some of today’s best records while grabbing a copy of the Westerly Sun.  A few doors down, you’ll find Sound-craft Appliances, which specializes in stereos and color televisions, which are gaining traction and growing more and more popular. [16]

With that, our tour of downtown Westerly has come to an end.  We hope you enjoyed spending time with us taking a walk down memory lane.  Please feel free to share any and all memories you have, we would love to hear them!

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[1] U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995, Westerly, Rhode Island, 1962, pg. 32.

[2] Fall River Historical Society, Marita Frances (Vokes) Harnett Photo Gallery, https://lizzieborden.org/WomenatWork/marita-harnett-photo-gallery/.

[3] Advertisement, Westerly High School, The Barker, 1962.

[4] Rhode Island Radio, “Radio Sales and Service” http://www.61thriftpower.com/riradio/stores.shtml.

[5] Advertisement, Westerly High School, The Barker, 1962.

[6] U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995, Westerly, Rhode Island, 1962, Advertisement.

[7] U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995, Westerly, Rhode Island, 1956.

[8] Bata Bullets Advertisement, Boston Globe, 24 June 1965, and U.S. Keds Booster Advertisement, Providence Journal, 1 May 1955.

[9] Correspondence from P.C. Wilson, September 2020.

[10] Correspondence from Carol Itteilag, September 2020.

[11] Correspondence from Ellen Madison, September 2020.

[12] U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995, Westerly, Rhode Island, 1962, pg. 15.

[13] “Art Deco Commercial Architecture: Montgomery Ward’s Mid-Size Department Stores and Child’s Restaurant Exhibit” Tiles in New York, 1 June 2017, https://tilesinnewyork.blogspot.com/2017/06/art-deco-commercial-architecture.html.

[14] Bartlett, Richard A., The World of Ham Radio, 1901-1950: A Social History, (2015), pg. 198.

[15] U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995, Westerly, Rhode Island, 1962, pg. 15

[16] U.S. City Directories, 1822-1995, Westerly, Rhode Island, 1962, pg. 15.

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