In the late 1930’s and 1940’s the Sacred Heart merchants decided to have their stores open for business on Saturday evenings. Consequently the area farmers took care of their chores early that evening, cleaned up and took the family to town.
The farmers’ cars lined Mainstreet and the side streets. A few town dwellers liked driving uptown and parking also. Often those town people would get there first! The women would sit in their cars or go to a friends’ car to visit after some grocery shopping. The Clerks in the stores were on hand for visits while getting the grocery order lined up for the customer.
The men stood along the sidewalk or sat on the ledges of the store buildings to visit. There was lots of moving around as some went into the pool halls to play pool or cards with a neighbor or friend and to tell their stories. Men went into the hardware store where owner Burt had a a few camping chairs set across the front of the store. Here, too, many a tale was told and lots of visiting done.
Young people found friends and walked the streets socializing with jokes and stories like their parents. The youth would buy treats-a buffalo that was served in the booth at the Corner Cafe- a scoop of ice cream with chocolate sauce and for a nickel more one could have peanuts on it. Another popular treat was the drumstick sold at the pool hall. Many had orders to stay out of the pool hall so they had to get an older male cousin or friend to do the buying for them. This treat was ice cream wrapped in chocolate with peanuts and shaped like a drumstick and wrapped in paper.
The grownups usually ended up having coffee in one restaurant or the other to round out the evening before going home. There were some who gravitated to homes of friends living in town for more fun and visits. And, of course, there was more tales and coffee.