The History of the Steelville Supply Store Building
By: Blake Abrams & Tyson Harris
L.H. Scott and Mr. Devol owned a hardware and implement business. The Halbert and Saltsman General Store carried groceries, dry goods, and shoes. The four gentlemen became partners and the Steelville Supply Store was started on October 5 1905. A year later, Mr. Devol sold his portion of the business to L. H. Scott.
The Scott family has been connected to the Supply Store since then. Raymond (RC) Scott, L. H. Scott’s son, was born and raised in Steelville Missouri. By 1940 RC Scott had bought out the other partners and became sole owner. RS Scott, the son of RC Scott, graduated from the University of Missouri with an electrical engineering degree. He worked for General Motors in Flint, MI where one of his sons was born. RC joined the Army and was stationed at Fort Monmouth. Roberta (Bobbie) and his son, Stanley M. lived in Steelville before joining him in NJ. After the war, RS and his family moved to Steelville and he became active in the Supply Store. Stanley M. attended Steelville R-3 school from midway through the 3rd grade to graduation. Stanley M. married Pat Scott in the 1970 and in 1973 they moved to Steelville to help with the Supply Store so that RS Scott could slow down, travel to visit his other sons, and smell the roses.
- The Supply Store was a free standing 4 wall building.
- The Supply Store was originally smaller (not as deep) than it is today.
- Sold general merchandise.
- There was a movie theater next to the Supply Store. The theater used one of The Supply Store’s walls as its fourth wall.
- The Supply Store was once a Benjamin Franklin Variety and Sentry Hardware Store. Later, it became a True Value Hardware store and V&S Variety Store.
- The candy case was 5 or 6 feet long and 4 feet tall, at a slant.
- The case was divided into two, one side was for ounce or pounds of candy and the other side was sold for a nickel or a penny.
- The Supply Store sold dynamite.
- An upgraded roof was installed in the 1980s.
- Around 1989 the store closed.
1. East side was cash register. West side was jewelry 2. Bread 3. Canning supplies 4. Lamps and gifts 5. Housewares 6. Stationery and school supplies 7. Make up, Shampoo, 8. Toys 9. Party supplies 10. More toys 11. Craft felt, embroidery patterns, socks 12. Men’s shirts, towels, sheets 13. Sewing supplies 14. Women’s clothes, vinyl goods that we cut to size. 15. Yarn 16. Baby clothes and things 17. Lampshades 18. Greeting cards
Pat Scott: “This is the best I can remember how the Supply Store was arranged in the 1970’s. In addition to the things listed, we always had seasonal things which we just kind of worked in, Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, Halloween, etc. The groceries were canned goods, spices, flour, sugar, bread and so forth. The refrigerator had Ham, pimento loaf, milk, cheese, butter, vegetables in season. In the freezer was ice cream and frozen vegetables. In the back room, we had nails that we sold by the pound, stovepipe that we would cut and crimp to size and extra stock. There was also window shade cutter that we used to cut window shades to size.”
