Star Cash Grocery, which operated on old Route 66 in Commerce, Okla., since 1938, closed its doors last week, reported the Tulsa World today.
“The economy and Walmart has forced the store to close down,” Trease said.
Large chain stores like Walmart and Dollar General are within a few of miles of Star Cash and can sell items cheaper, she said.[…]
“We’ve had the same customers come in every day or every other day,” Trease said. “On a good day, we will see between 50 and 60 customers – on a bad day, about 20 customers. But it’s always the same customers.”
The story said longtime owner Elmer Geren had retired due to bad health in recent years.
I met Elmer briefly in 2007 for a story I wrote for Route 66 News. Geren said he knew Mickey Mantle’s family in Commerce, and insisted the future New York Yankees legend learned a lot from his grandfather as well as his father on how to play baseball.
Here’s a video about Geren and his store:
Star Cash got its name because it insisted on cash-only to buy groceries and never accepted credit. Because of this policy, it was the only grocery store in Commerce to survive the Great Depression.
I remarked at the time that the grocery was almost existed in a time warp from the 1950s or ’60s, with wooden shelves, decades-old signage, and very old meat and produce coolers.
Even then, I sensed the business was an endangered species. In the 20 minutes or so I spoke to Geren, I saw no other customers enter the store.
With Star Cash’s closure, Commerce no longer has a grocery store.
Let me guess: Walmart set up a little out of town so they wouldn’t have to pay city taxes. Nice!
Actually, I’m sure the Walmart they’re referring to is the one in nearby Miami, which absolutely is in Miami’s city limits.
I’m certain Walmart does build some stores in locations to skirt city taxes. But that’s not in this case.
What a shame. Here in Philly MORE people are going to places like Star Cash Grocery than are going to Wal-Mart. It’s just not worth going to box stores. So much for community.