I would guess this is from the 90s. The plastic case is in pretty good condition, not broken, and everything listed as contents is here. It’s 3 -5/8 by 2-7/8″.
Of course, that massive 1920s-era factory has been knocked down and hauled away like Mr. Peabody’s coal. Somewhere, I hope, someone thought ahead and kept the big, black-and-white aerial photo of the plant that hung in the conference room (I think. I’m a little hazy on exactly where I saw it…it was years ago).
A 3.75 x 3.75″ ashtray. Information square is fired on the underside. My mother’s favorite restaurant. Made their own pies with real meringue, browned on top. In my 20s, I thought the place was stodgy, but I’d love to have a meal there now. Food was excellent, waitresses motherly. And I don’t mean that in any derogatory way.
I think the restaurant began in the early 60s. In 1953, Jack May was managing both Jack’s Grill in Sullivan Gardens and the Luncheonette at the new Little Store. Jack and wife Jeanette co-owned Center Street Restaurant and, later, Jack’s Restaurant on Main Street. There’s a complicated history in all this, but I can’t find a source for it right now. I’ll update as I learn more.
05/08/2021: Updated time line:
From the late 1940s to 1960, the building at 504 West Center Street was owned by Cardwell and Alberta Hounchell. The original building was a a block building painted white (in the only picture I’ve seen of it) and known at “Center Street Restaurant and Grill”. (When I was a kid, we lived in the apartments at 315 Cherokee Street. In one of the apartments lived a man named “Happy” Hounchell. He was a barber with a shop behind Bingham Furniture on New Street. I wonder if they were related.) (the man and the family, not the furniture store and the barber shop)
An ad in the June 6, 1951, issue of the Kingsport News touts a “completely remodeled” restaurant with pale green walls and gray leatherette upholstery. The current building, though, is shown in the records as having been built in 1952.
In 1979, the restaurant was owned by Gary and Angie Francisco. It closed in August, 1989.
Let it be clear, right here, right now: I am not a phillumenist. I don’t collect matchbooks. But, if something interesting I spy, I buy. Within reason…
E. Ward King. Whatta guy. Junior Achievement has a concise accounting of this man’s life here.
Their 50th in 1982. In 1986, they’d be in Chapter 11.
This is a 28-match book. Several have been used from this book, but I have two more in an original 2-book plastic pack.
This is a matchbook from Skoby’s World in Kingsport TN:
Skoby’s, on Konnarock Road in Kingsport TN, was a treasure. Started in 1946 as a barbecue joint, the restaurant became the place to take an out-of-town guest or to just enjoy a civilized dinner. Skoby’s World came about when Pal Barger donated Skoby’s to Virginia Intermont College in 2005. The place was demolished in 2010.
Back in the 70s, one time when I had gotten a raise at work, I took mom out for dinner at Skoby’s. Reserved a room and everything. Now, mom was a small little critter (wore a 4B shoe) and I was not a heavy eater. When the waiter brought out the salad and the warm yeast rolls, mom and I tucked in. And when the waiter brought the steaks and baked potatoes, we realized that we didn’t have much appetite left. In true foodie fashion, we offhandedly mentioned to the waiter that we would like a takeaway tray. Instantly provided.
And their crème brûlée was, honestly, just drag in the casket and die for it…
Four survivors of a bygone era.
1) on the back of the Fuller & Hillman: the logo and Kingsport Tennessee. Fuller & Hillman spelled out in its official font face. Then “We Now Have Our Largest & Most Complete Selection – COME IN TODAY” on the bottom: Tri-City Adv. Co., Kingsport
2) On the top of the Quickway match book: “While U Wait” and, on the back: QUICKWAY PRINTING CENTER KINGSPORT – 247-5134 KNOXVILLE – 546-8161 on the bottom: Superior Match Co. Chicago, U.S.A.
3) on the back of the (unused) Dobyns-Taylor book: “SERVICE AND QUALITY SINCE 1922” On the bottom: TASCO IND. DALLAS TX
4) on the back of the 1st Nat book: (star symbol) SERVING THE BANKING REQUIREMENTS OF THIS COMMUNITY SINCE 1916 (star symbol)(star symbol). On the bottom THE DIAMOND MATCH CO. SPRINGFIELD MASS.
Businesses gave out matches because it seemed that everyone smoked, urged on by relentless marketing by certain companies to the effect that cigarettes were entirely safe and that all that coughing and dying was caused by, well, maybe carelessness? After all, early thinking was that diseases were transmitted by bad air. And, if one remembers, Kingsport had it some bad air at times.
Shortly after we moved to Kingsport, Mom and I were walking past a restaurant when we caught a lungful of pew. Mom said, “Gosh, I wonder what they’re cooking in there?”
But we got used to it.
It’s always pleasant to come across a CI prefix on advertising. The two-letter Ci (Circle) prefix – it was the two-letter, five number system – meant that you had an early phone (assigned to your residence or business). I think Ci5 was very early because I don’t recall ever seeing a Ci4. But I was a kid, what did I know… The two-letter, 5-number system was replaced by the 10-number system sometime in the 60’s.
This piece, a bank blotter (I think), is 7.5″ long and 3.75″ high. My Colorblind Assistant (great program!) names the color as “Midnight Blue” (good oldie, too).
Rock on.
“K.24 BRIDGE OVER HOLSTON RIVER ON U.S. 23, BETWEEN KINGSPORT AND JOHNSON CITY, TENN”
Verso: He (unreadable). Since I didn’t send that card from Knoxville I promised you, I will send you one today as we are in Johnson City having a swell time. Marie
Mailed to Miss (?Nepall?) Rader, Route 2, Greeneville, Tenn.
PM: Johnson City August 10, 1945.
Work didn’t begin on Ft. Patrick Henry Dam until six years later. The person who took this picture was probably in a boat or had water wings on or something. This is looking south, more or less.
Construction work brings to light the facade of a structure built in 1927 at 209 Broad Street. The date is in the escutcheon above the remains of the front door. Originally, there were white columns on either side of the building, in front of the facade.
There was a building boom on Broad Street in 1927 and both Kingsport National Bank and this, The Farmers and Merchants Bank, opened up around June of that year. In 1945, it became Sullivan County Bank. At some later date, it was home to Harris & Graves Insurance. By 1959, it was the Moore & Walker Insurance building.
Garrett & Garrett Attorneys, as you can see, had the upper floor.
In the 1959 City Directory, the address of “Gillam (sic) and Diamond Cabs” (it’s Hinch Gilliam again…he was also managing Friendly Cabs up on Brooks Circle) was shown as 328 East Sullivan Street. It was behind the old Trailways (Union) Bus Terminal on Cherokee Street, where the Greyhound Bus Station was.
Anyway, there were seven cab companies listed for Kingsport in 1959: Friendly Cabs at 1725 Ft. Henry Drive, Gilliam and Diamond Cabs at 328 East Sullivan, City Cabs in Highland Park, Lynn Garden Cabs, 1212 Lynn Garden Drive, Nick’s Cabs in Highland Park, West View Cabs at 140 Fairview and Yellow Cab Company at 124 West Market.
The “Roberts” was my stepfather. He drove a cab off-and-on, until his ship came in. After he was escorted off the ship later, broke again, he never went back to driving cabs. He told me once that, back then, he never went into Long Island after dark. It was a rough place, he thought, awash with bootleggers and blackguards.
This 3″ x 3″ adhesive-backed cloth sticker probably dates from the early 70s.
Tsk, Radio was a whole ‘nother thing back then.
Bob Lawrence's Kingsport 
