Ideal Grocery

BLOCK 11, LOTS 11 & 12 (AFTER FIRE)

July 19, 1935: "A. L. Book of Merrill has leased the Ben Mitchell property and is renovating the building preparatory to the opening of a grocery store and meat market.

Upon being interviewed Book said that in addition to a good line of groceries and meats, he intends to install a fresh vegetable department, and thinks that the later he will put in a soda fountain. The opening date will be announced later." (The Klamath News)

July 21, 1935: "Mr. and Mrs. A. L. Book and two children have moved to Sprague River, where Book, who has been employed for the past five years by the Dalton Mercantile company, Merrill, will open a grocery. Book recently purchased a building owned by Ben Mitchell, Sprague River, and is remodeling preparatory to placement of his stock." (The Klamath News)

March 18, 1936: "A. L. Book of the Ideal grocery is the proud owner of a new panel delivery." (The Evening Herald)

April 21, 1936: "During the week, A. L. Book of the Ideal grocery has been enlarging his store. His business has increased to such an extent that more shelf and floor space was a necessity." (The Evening Herald)

May 20, 1936: "Both the Ideal grocery and the Sprague River grocery are sporting new neon signs over their doors. It gives quite a metropolitan air to our town." (The Klamath News)

June 3, 1936: "Paul Wright, recently of Ontario, has obtained work at the Ideal grocery. Mr. Wright is an experienced hand as he follows the grocery business for a number of years. The Wrights have taken up residence in the Claudia Hood house." (The Klamath News)

July 14, 1936: "Several improvements are noticeable in our small town. A. L. Book, of the Ideal grocery, has installed a large refrigerator where he can take care of his meat supplies in the proper way." (The Evening Herald)

July 12, 1937: "FOR SALE---Small grocery and market, located in payroll town. Write or phone A. L. Book, Sprague River, Ore." (Medford Mail Tribune)

July 20, 1938: "The Ideal grocery has a new coat of paint. (The Evening Herald)

September 8, 1938: "Fire, originating in an outhouse behind a hotel, spread rapidly in a high wind and virtually demolished the business section of the town of Sprague River late Wednesday.

Among the buildings razed by the fire: Ideal grocery, operated by Shorty Book." (The Klamath News)

October 28, 1938: "Dibbern Cook is building a hollow tile building which will house the Ideal grocery owned by A. L. Book and a shoe repair shop which Mr. Cook will operate. The building will stand on the site of the Wolford and Wann store." (The Klamath News)

October 24, 1939: "The building housing the Ideal grocery received improvements this week." (The Klamath News)

May 16, 1940: "Norman Nerseth is now being employed in the Ideal grocery store in Sprague River." (The Chiloquin Review)

December 24, 1940: "A. L. 'Shorty' Book has been appointed director of the Sprague River, Beatty, Bly division of the Klamath Sportsman association. Mr. Book, who is co-proprietor of the Ideal grocery has been very active in sportsman activities in this locality." (The Klamath News)

March 19, 1941: "The Ideal department store is undergoing considerable remodeling, which will give almost a fourth more floor space on the main floor. Several carpenters are taking out old storeroom partitions, and building an upstairs office." (The Klamath News)

April 12, 1941: "The Ideal Department store, under the direction of proprietors, A. L. Book and Gene Merritt, has a crew of carpenters building merchandise display space at the back of the present store. A new upstairs office is also under construction." (The Evening Herald)

August 5, 1941: "Mr. and Mrs. Gene Merritt and daughter are spending a week on the coast. Merritt sold his interest in the Ideal grocery store to his partner, A. L. Book, this week." (The Klamath News)

January 30, 1942: "Mrs. Grace Reynolds is now employed in the Ideal department store. Mrs. Reynolds was a former postmaster here." & "John Little, butcher of the Ideal grocery, was called to Idaho by the illness of his father last week. He is now back on the job behind the block." (The Evening Herald)

March 7, 1942: "A. L. "Shorty" Book, owner of the Ideal department store in Sprague River, has added another store to his business. The new establishment is a similar grocery and department store in Bly. Book will move his family to Bly in the near future, where he will assume active management of that branch. The Sprague River store will be under the direction of John Little.

The loss of the Books as residents of Sprague River will be partly compensated by the return of the family this summer after the new business is well established. Mr. Little will then likely manage the Bly unit. Mr. Book is prominent in local affairs, serving as fire chief and scoutmaster, as well as being a local representative of the Klamath Sportmen's association. The Books have two daughters in the local school, who will move and enroll in the Bly school." (The Evening Herald)

September 9, 1942: "Wilbur Book of Medford, is the new manager of the Ideal grocery. Mrs. C. C. Heidrich and Miss Jean Abraham are clerks." & "Mr. and Mrs. John Little and family returned to their home in Boise, Ida., Friday. For several months Little has been manager of the Ideal grocery." (Herald and News)

October 9, 1942: "Mrs. Ellen Goddard is working in the Ideal grocery store." (Herald and News)

October 4, 1943: Amos Leroy Book (Shorty), Bly cafe owner, was fatally wounded in a hunting accident while hunting with two others in an area south of Robinson Springs about 15 miles south of Bly. (Herald and News)