Union has had its share of good cafes throughout the years. In the early days when people rented rooms with no place to cook, they relied on cafes. Back then even as today, people, especially women, like to eat someone else’s cooking.
In 1922, J.F. Bailey opened Union Café and Meat Market. J.C. McBeath also opened City Café below the Union Appeal office while J.J. Hays operated Dixie Café.
At this early period in the history of Union, the two main streets still had vacant lots. Businessmen purchased lots and constructed buildings to suit their needs. One of those was Sam Hays, who in 1923 bought property next to Masonic Hall at 309 Bank St. to build Union Bakery with O.A. Holladay as manager. Then, of course, Ma Sessums began her famous meals in 1924 at the Hotel Parker.
In 1925, Wilson Café opened in a small building between 101 and 103 Bank St., but the café had closed by 1928 when J.E. Wroten opened a small deli there. Another businessman who built on a vacant lot in 1925 was O.A. Bankston. He opened Union Café at 215 Main St. His son Clay Bankston and wife Vema, who raised and slaughtered their own beef to cook in the café, followed him in the business in 1937. They then sold to Margie and
Charlie Bailey in 1948. This building later became a jewelry store.
In 1926, J.J. Ware Cafe opened on the corner west of the Appeal office and stayed there until 1942 when he sold to Gilbert and Effie Banks, who renamed it Banks Café.
In the south Bank Street area in late 1929, Mrs. R.A. Wilson constructed a new building on a another vacant lot and opened Café Williamae at 307 Bank Street (barber shop today) between Union Drug Store and Union Bakery. Also, Clell Tyner opened Tyner’s Cafe in 1937 across the street at 306 Bank, just north of the alley.
Earl Tidwell built The Magnolia Inn, a favorite spot for so many who lived in its era, on the SW corner of Decatur St. and Jackson Rd. sometime around 1940. It had a large room for dining, dancing, or listening to the juke box. In addition, the back area was reserved for those who chose to order from their cars with carhops managing the food deliveries. A spot in a 1942 Union Appeal advertised the cost of the juke box 5 cents, hamburger and coke 5 cents, and roast beef 15 cents.
The first documentation of the Mag showed that it was owned by Joe Wilson in 1940. Then in 1944, Rush Turner was owner, and sometime before 1951, possibly in late 1946, Gilbert Banks took over. Later, in Feb. 1952, W.D. Viverette followed Banks. In 1957, the Mag went under management of Killen and sons: Edgar Ray, Ray, and Kenneth. Next, Frank (Junior) and Jean Winfield bought the Mag in April 1963.
On Aug. 20, 1965, Mrs. Junie Ezell reopened it after a fire from the adjoining station had damaged it. Finally, Jimmy Prince with Prince Oil Co. of Philadelphia had the building demolished in 1968 and replaced it with a new Phillips 66 station first managed by Watt Germany in 1969. With the new station, only memories of the Mag remained.
Included today is a picture of Union made around 1929. How many buildings do you recognize? In the picture, you can see vacant lots where businesses had not yet been developed. The area on north Main Street is the lot where Freeman and Thomas would build within the year. The space two doors up from Masonic Temple (barber shop today) was the area where Mrs. R.A. Wilson built her Café Williamae in 1929.
Also, in the upper left corner, you can see the old Presbyterian Church on North St with Boler’s Inn partially covered with trees just to its right. Next, the flat land would be Park St. today and the wooded area now City Park. In the far upper right, the rectangular building was the Methodist Church that was razed in 1953 and the current church rebuilt there.
Back on Main Street on the right side, the rectangular building with the white top is the Standard Service Station that was demolished around 1965. Beside it stands the vacant lot where B.J. Milling built Milling Motor Co. (White’s Body Shop) in 1951.
Looking at this history gives an idea of the age of the buildings left in Union. Most of the buildings in the town area remain the same. However, there are other buildings in the background along Jackson Road that are gone today, and I cannot identify them. If you can identify any more, please let me know.
In an upcoming issue, later café establishments will be recalled.
Here is this weeks’ question?
• Do you remember M.C. Thomas having a café west of Freeman and Thomas?
If you can make an addition or a correction or if you have a memory about one of the many cafes in Union’s past, please contact me at teresablount26@yahoo.com or 109 Woodhaven Drive, Union, MS 39365, or 601-774-5564.
