Editor’s note: This is the second part of an essay on Caribou throughout the years by a life-long resident.
Barber shops and beauty shops kept us clipped, cut and curled in neat styles. About the only time we saw a man with a beard was on Santa Claus at Christmas. Sales of cameras and film developing could be had at Roderick’s Studio with personal service by the owner. Hardware stores of Briggs, Spauldings, Albair, Hines & Smith filled our necessities of that nature. S. W. Collins supplied our lumber and building needs.
At Johnston’s Jewelry, in lighted showcases, one had a large choice of diamond rings, watches, necklaces and earrings. Silver service sets, lovely chinaware, luggage and leather pocketbooks were also attractively displayed at this Sweden Street business.
Restaurants included the Victory, Elite, the Log Cabin, and Bell’s Luncheonette. For a more refined dining atmosphere, one could choose the Vaughn House, with its white linen tablecloths and matching napkins. Green Acres on the Presque Isle Road was a favorite for Sunday dining.
Groceries could be bought at the A & P, Sleepers, Lloyds Market, IGA and Dan Daniels. Though not supermarkets, they kept their shelves well stocked.
Caribou in those years of the ‘40s and ‘50s had four drug stores: Scates, Havey’s Caribou Drug (Ritchie’s) and Doctor’s Pharmacy, each with a soda fountain. That unique piece of equipment, where beneath the refrigerated covers and pull-tabs, brought forth cold delicious desserts of sundaes, banana splits, milk shakes, cherry cokes and ice cream sodas called frappe. Can we ever forget the times we sat upon the stools at these fountains eating and sipping refreshments, chatting and laughing with our friends? And if you chose instead to have an ice cream cone, one scoop was a nickel and a double dip cost a dime. Will a dollar buy one scoop today?
Our financial needs were taken care of by Aroostook Trust Company and Aroostook Savings & Loan Association. The latter institution is still serving us in 2015.
The decade of the 1940s brought World War II and the drafting of young men into military service. Most families were touched by a son, spouse or a relative who was called into service. Boot camp training hardly prepared the young men to become soldiers for what they would face in Europe and the South Pacific. Casualties were high, yet the fighting continued for four years before the enemy surrendered in Europe on May 8, 1945 and Japan on August 14 of the same year. Of the many young men who left our shores in 1941, thousands never returned. Those who came back faced new beginnings in re-entering civilian life, but they were ready to take on the challenges.
To be continued
