Historical Summer 2017 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
Back in the day, folks did their food shopping every day, and there were literally dozens of alternatives throughout the neighborhood. Researching DeBaliviere’s fifty plus years of businesses, it was a great surprise to find so many “food shops”, “butchers”, “bakeries”, and more.
But right at the intersection of DeBaliviere and Delmar, one place really stood out: Molls, with its grand clock on the sidewalk, proudly stating its origin in 1858. Adolph Moll had started his business way back in 1858, with a partner and a store was at 7th and Franklin in what we now call downtown.
His great-grandson recalled in a publication called the Progressive Grocer that they served 17 states via steamboats taking labelled goods to outlying areas and bringing back various foodstuffs.
The lavish store on Delmar at DeBaliviere was built after the World’s Fair and lasted about 50 years, demolished as part of the West End Renewal Project in the early 60’s, partly to make major repairs to the sewer lines going north.
The resulting vacant land became the “Ruth C. Porter Mall” a city park dedicated to the area’s local civil rights pioneers. Anne Reis Voss grew up in the area and has participated in many community organizations, including the West End Community Conference and for the past twenty plus years with the Delmar Commercial Committee.
Her memories of walking to DeBaliviere to the memorable ice skating Wintergarden rink are recounted in the TIMES (see sdtimes.org and go to neighborhood history, then DeBaliviere stories). Anne: I recall walking over to Molls from Clemens for groceries and bakery bread–about 1940.
It smelled so good I had to have a slice before I got home.
There was a gangway just west of the store and its neighbor Glaze Hardware.
The gangway was always flooded.
I remember walking through water to St. Rose of Lima Grade School at Goodfellow and Etzel, 1932 to 1940.
My brother Andy walked over to Molls in the late 30’s early in the morning to butter the tops of the bread. Mother went to a beauty school west of the gangway from Molls. East of the store were two “dime stores”, Woolworths and Kresges, a furniture store and a Kroger grocery, a jewelry store and the Golden Fried Chicken Loaf.
The Pageant Theatre was just west of Goodfellow.
These were all on the north side of Delmar.
On the south side were the Barrel Bar and the Top Hat Bar.
I started West End Renewal in 1964, which created a greenway directly north of DeBaliviere, demolishing Molls and extending all the way to create Skinker north of Delmar.
The beautiful clock was moved to Lacledes Landing. Jo Ann: When you ride the trolley and go around the bend at DeBaliviere and Delmar, take a moment and imagine MOLLS!
Original photograph caption
A Molls Grocer Company in 1942. Above the cars stands the clock with Molls 1858 title. Even with angle parking there was room for the trolley.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, Summer 2017.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Archival transcription note: Source first-person I started West End Renewal in 1964 retained as printed; possible intended It started not silently supplied. Early sixties demolition and 1964 chronology differ within article.
Original source: SD_Times2017_06.pdf, printed page(s) 7; PDF page(s) 7.
