Reed's Department Store ~1910-1999

Moniteau County, Missouri

Reed's Department Store

(Est. as Pummill's Broken Dollar Store abt 1910)

Became Reed's in 1930; Closed in 1999

November 2021, picture of building that housed Reed's Department Store

From the January 2, 1930 California Democrat:

A. K. Reed Buys Pummill Store

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Is Closing Out Large Store At Barnett Where He Has Operated For 17 Years

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A. K. [Amos Karl] Reed, proprietor of the Reed store at Barnett where he has been in business for the last 17 years, has purchased and taken possession of the J. R. [Joseph R] Pummill Broken Dollar store in this city. The transaction, which had been pending for some time, was completed Friday and Mr. Reed took over the business Saturday morning.

Mr. Reed, in spite of the years of experience he has had, is a young man and has the reputation of being quite an enterprising merchant. He and his family, consisting of his wife and two daughters, Alice 9 years old and Lyle 5 years old, have been wanting to locate here for some time and he and Mr. Pummill had attempted to trade before. He was also on a trade for another establishment here at one time during the last year.

The store at Barnett is being closed out. Mrs. Reed is assisting there and Mr. Reed is in charge of the store here. The family will locate in California within the next month or two.

Mr. Reed's brother, Ralph Reed, owns and operates the Reed store, a large establishment at Eldon, and his father is in the lumber business at Leeton. The Barnett store has been handling a large general line of dry goods, shoes, ready-to-wear and groceries.

Mr. Reed has retained all of Mr. Pummill's force, excepting the immediate Pummill family, including Clarence Pummill who has been with the local establishment for the last 17 years, Edward Pummill, who has been with it for 16 years, Miss Dot Senior, who has been with it for 8 years and August Burkhalter, meat cutter, who has been employed by Mr. Pummill within the last few months. He will continue to handle the same general line that Mr. Pummill has handled, including groceries, fresh meats, some dry goods and a line of novelty merchandise. In due time he expects to add a more complete stock of dry goods, shoes and a moderate priced line of ladies ready-to-wear.

Mr. and Mrs. Pummill and their son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Herman Hodge, expect to leave soon for Hot Springs, Ark. to spend a time for the benefit of Mr. Pummill's health and further than that their plans for the future are not fully made. Mr. Pummill has not been well for some two years and feels the need of some rest and recuperation from the strenuous years he has spent in the business.

Mr. Pummill has spent about 20 years in business here. He has built up a large trade, having one of the biggest volumes of business in the city. He says that his banner day of all the years he has been here was Saturday, December 21, 1929, when his sales totaled more than $1,500.

Mr. Reed purchased outright the stock and fixtures and leased the building, which belongs to Mr. Pummill, for a period of 5 years with an option of 10 more.

Announcements from both Mr. Reed and Mr. Pummill appear in the advertising of this issue.

Amos Karl Reed from his obituary in 1979

From the January 9, 1930 Moniteau County Herald:

J. R. Pummill Sells Mercantile Store

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California Business Man for Twenty one Years, Has Gained Every Day

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J. R. Pummill has sold his Broken Dollar Store to A. K. Reed of Barnett, who has taken charge in the personnel of the force of clerks. Mr. Pummill has been trying to get rid of his business for some time, owing to failing health which will likely be restored when he takes a long rest. He came here 21 years ago and has been in business except for a short period, when he sold and then bought back. The business has grown and Mr. Pummill has bought and remodeled the big double store building which is now large enough to house the several departments he has been running. His aim has been to buy just a little cheaper and use the broken dollar plan which has made his stand popular and successful.

Mr. Pummill is not planning to leave California. He will go to Hot Springs first to try the effects of the water on his system and then take a rest with recreation for a long period of time.

Mr. Reed has been in business in Barnett for several years and is trained in the mercantile line. He is in California in charge of the Barnett store. They have two children and the family will move here in the spring. You will find his announcement and a sale advertisement in today's Herald.

From the January 2, 1980 California Democrat:

Reed's Store in business here 50 years

Mrs. A. K. Reed and her son, James, are embarking on a year of celebration. It was 50 years ago this coming Friday that Mrs. Reed and the late A. K. Reed opened Reed's Department Store in downtown California.

Mr. Reed had a store in Barnett 17 years before establishing a business here at 417 North High. They relocated in a building on the courthouse square in 1946.

In observance of the 50th anniversary, Reed's Department Store will feature a special sale each month. The first promotion appears in today's issue of the Democrat.

From the March 3, 1999 California Democrat:

Landmark store clsing doors

The ride has been a good one but the days of the downtown department store in California are over as Reed's Department Store has called it quits after nearly 70 years.

"It's sad." said owner Jim Reed. "But it's life. You can't just continue on. There is nothing more certain than change."

But the decision to hand it up comes with a good reason: his health is still good.

"I'm 68 years old and in pretty good health at present." Reed offered. "It's time to retire, take trips, go fishing and play golf."

And the legacy he leaves behind spans three generation of Reeds, with Jim being the last son. It all began back in 1930, when Jim's father, Karl, and mother, Mabel, opened the shop in downtown Calfiornia, across from the courthouse. Karl died in 1979 and Mabel in 1993.

Jim joined the daily operations of the store after a four-year stint of service with the U.S. Navy.

Since then he has been in the store every day. Even last January, when he was interviewed for a story by the Kansas City Star, he said there would be no celebration or retirement talks when the store turned 70. Now, the timing is right, and the doors are closed forever.

An auction was conducted Saturday in the old store with throngs of people out to purchase not only merchandise with the store, but parts of the store itself. The 1928 spring-loaded register was one item which personified the atmosphere in the store.

Part of the reason for his retirement is the big squeeze put on by bigger wholesalers.

"Wholesalers want you to buy more than you can sell," Reed said. "I've been lucky to have used firms for a long time. Some of them let me continue to buy just what I needed but other would not."

And in this fashion, larger operations are driving the little guys out of business, Reed maintains. In fact, he said if he hadn't retired at this time, it would have been only a matter of time before he would have lost out to competitors.

"Big business is taking over," he said.

What made the small operation so unusual in its presentation was that Reed's carried items not easily found elsewhere. He took pride in that fact saying it was his goal to have those items at all times. But if he was out temporarily, he could still order the item, which suited people too.

When Reed is out fishing or golfing or just enjoying time off, his thoughts will likely return to that which was his livelihood for so many years.

"I will always remember that it was joy to meet people, talk to them and visit with them," Reed offered. "It's been a pretty good experience. I want to thank all of my customers over the years and all of my help through the years too."

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