TOWN INDEX PAGE
HOME PAGE

TLAPEK MOVES STORE AFTER 27 YEARS
The Lead Belt News, Oct. 13, 1939

tlapek2.jpg (34801 bytes)

Twenty-seven years ago, in front of a small store building in Elvins, appeared a sign which read, "Tlapek's Grocery." At that time Wm. Sloan owned the store in partnership with Raymond Tlapek. Later Raymond persuaded his brother, Leon Tlapek, to buy out Mr. Sloan, and the two brothers continued to operate the business until Leon decided to move to St. Louis. Since that time Raymond has conducted the meat market and grocery.

tlapek1.jpg (35060 bytes)
L-R:  Raymond Tlapek, Owner; Walter Holley, Paul Rundel, Francis Osher, Barbara Montgomery, Susan Robinson

The business was opened where the Elvins Hardware Store stands today. A few years later the firm was forced to move to larger quarters, the building it occupies today. For the past seven or eight years this building has been too small, but a suitable location was not available and the business has continued to be housed in the same building for twenty-five years. Recently Mr. Tlapek purchased the building once occupied by Wood's Drug Store. Mr. Tlapek has spent considerable time and money in making this building one of the most beautiful stores in the Lead Belt.

Mr. Tlapek recalls the first customer to place an order for delivery, and this same customer is still trading with Tlapek's. She is Mrs. E. Kells of Flat River. Twenty-seven years ago Mrs. Kells lived in Federal Park, Mr. Kells being employed for several years by the Doe Run Lead Company. Later Mr. and Mrs. Kells moved to Flat River.

Many other people have been trading with Tlapek's for twenty-five, twenty, fifteen, ten and five years. Twenty-seven years ago refrigerators or display counters were unheard of. Store buildings were lighted by oil or gasoline lamps. Sausage meat was ground by man power instead of electricity. Mr. Tlapek was the first merchant in St. Francois County to purchase an electric meat grinder.

Mr. Tlapek will hold a Grand Opening at his new store this week-end. Read his announcement elsewhere in the paper.

tlapek3.jpg (73982 bytes)
tlapek4.jpg (65175 bytes)

Published by THE LEAD BELT NEWS, Flat River, St. Francois Co. MO, Oct. 13, 1939.

Note:  Above photos are from "A Living History of Flat River, Elvins, Desloge, Farmington, Missouri" compiled and published in 1953 by Bob McHenry 

TOWN INDEX PAGE
HOME PAGE



This page was updated: Friday, 23-Feb-2024 12:43:22 MST
This site may be freely linked, but not duplicated in any way without consent.
All rights reserved! Commercial use of material within this site is prohibited!
© 2000 - 2024 MOGenWeb

The information on this site is provided free for the purpose of researching your genealogy. This material may be freely used by non-commercial entities, for your own research. The information contained in this site may not be copied to any other site without written "snail-mail" permission. If you wish to have a copy of a donor's material, you must have their permission. All information found on these pages is under copyright of Oklahoma Cemeteries. This is to protect any and all information donated. The original submitter or source of the information will retain their copyright. Unless otherwise stated, any donated material is given to MOGenWeb to make it available online.