Thursday, May 7, 2009

Memories of Rome Seed

Post your favorite memories of Rome Seed & Feed. If you have a funny story or even old pictures, that would be great. I have hundreds of great memories from the store, but probably my favorite would be just running through the long aisles as a kid. Some of my earliest memories are from running wild through the store, I remember it seemed like a giant, never ending maze to a 3 year old. Of course I also loved every spring when the rabbits, chicks, and ducks arrived. Those weren't so much fun when I grew up and started having to clean up the pens every day. You've never seen a mess like 200 ducks can make in 2' x 4' pen. Another favorite of mine was the time they killed a rat that was at least 2' long and bigger than any cat I've ever seen. It was one of those huge river rats. I seem to remember someone had to kill it with an axe. Let me know about your favorite memories.

12 comments:

  1. As a new resident of Rome back around 2001, I loved stopping to picking up feed, a new plant, a cast iron pan, browsing the aisles and a chat. A visit to the Rome Seed was not only enjoyable it reflected a time gone by. I truly was sad when it closed.

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  2. When first moving to Rome some 35 plus years ago I knew without a doubt everything would work out when I discovered Rome Seed & Feed! I loved it from the first day I stepped in the door; whatever I needed they had or would get for me, whatever my question someone had the answer or would find out and my children especially loved the chicks and bunnies in the window every spring. Thanks for all the great years of shopping and all the fond memories folks like myself will remember in times to come. Carolg

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  3. I loved visiting the upstairs where your Granddaddy's office was and watching the notes go back and forth on the zipline from the first floor to the second floor.

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  4. We used that zipline until the day the store closed. It came from an old store downtown(Kessler's maybe), where the clerk's weren't allowed to handle any money. They used the zip line to send the money up to the cashier and the same line to send back the change. Occassionally, the line would come off the pulley and crash down. You didn't want to be under it if that happened.

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  5. Ducks/chicks/rabbits - Where did those cute Easter animals go after Easter? Two of the ducks came to live at our house as pets. They were not, of course, the most affectionate pets, but made up for it by prodigious fertilization of the back yard at every opportunity. They eventually ended up in the pond near the Civic Center, where we visited frequently.

    Robert decided to "raise" the excess chicks one year in a custom designed pen at 5 Wayne. Sue Anne, Chad, Kevin and myself interacted with chickens for the first time by wringing their necks and putting them through an elaborate plucking/cleaning process. Who needs 4h when you have Robert and the Seed & Feed?

    Cattle Prod - There was a cattle prod hanging near the back door that Tom Wood and I used to shock each other with whenever we could obtain the element of surprise. Tom would probably have lots of memories of the Store, if you haven't contacted him already, will try to dig up his Email address.

    Fishing gear - My first "good" fishing tackle came from the Store, ordered from the mystical(to a kid anyway) wholesale catalog. That rod and reel is still at the lake or in the basement at 6 Wayne and has caught 100s - 1000s of fish, the actual amount depending on the gullibility of the audience at hand.

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  6. Rob, Thanks....that's great stuff. I haven't laughed that hard in a while. I had forgotten about the cattle prod. That thing gave off one heck of a jolt...a bit stronger than a 9-volt battery to the tongue. And I can still smell those chickens and vividly recall seeing 50 headless chickens running wildly through our back yard. Thanks for the memories.

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  7. In the spring of 2001 our grandson Ryan Harvey was born with some serious medical issues. Susan and I asked Robert to assist us with a living tribute to that event. Robert suggested a plum tree that we planted in the back yard of our home on East Third Avenue. Now, every year when that tree leafs anew, we are reminded of the special connection it shares with Robert and Ryan, three of God's special creations. David and Susan Harvey

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  8. Farewell to Rome Seed and Feed
    by Julie Ouseley

    Saying goodbye to Rome Seed and Feed
    Is somewhat like....abandoning the Creed
    That brought you Friends...to whom you sold
    There's no replacement to fit your mold!
    Helpfulness...Kindness...came with each sale
    Whatever it was...in bag or bale
    We wish you all...the very best
    Hoping your future gives days of rest
    We're never able to pass your site
    Without a sigh...yet feeling bright
    For having known you...all these years!
    We'll doff our hats and raise some cheers!!

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  9. I turned 16 the summer of 1985 while working in the store. On my birthday, some of the boys around the store pitched in to hire the services of "Molly" Pardon (from the Balloon Factory as I recall) to thoroughly humiliate me. She put a stool right in the middle of the store and sat in my lap while singing Happy Birthday, while my dad, Kinney, the ladies in the office, and any customers who happened to be shopping at that time, looked on. Those fellas really got a kick out of that. I can still see Bert, Deion, and Lavon double-over laughing near the back door while I turned beet red. I think mom has a picture of that somewhere. I'll share it if we can dig it up.

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  10. I found those pictures from my 16th birthday and posted them to the Archive-Photographs page at: http://www.romeseed.com/archives/photos.htm

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  11. During the late 1970's, Robert Whitlock came home afer work, took his jacket off and hung it up on a chair in the dining room. We were eating supper and I said "Robert, there is a little mouse on your shoulder". "Now mother, if there was amouse you would be screaming" he said as he reached up and caught the mouse (about 1 inch long) and put it out the back door, remarking "I've been stacking hay today and the mouse will freeze, it's cold outside".

    He asked your dad to be off one afternoon to go fishing, and caught the "big fish" and Robert Payne said "do you believe in sharing". Burt said "I'm buying a tire for my truck" and bought your dad a Coke.

    They are both missed so much - and are loved by everyone.

    Helen Daniel (Robert Whitlock's Mother)

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  12. Oh my stars.. I saw this from the Drumbeat news letter and boy did it bring back memories..As a child my dad would take me in the store and explain all the different things there this was in the late 60's; you see when i was born my dad was 61 and in his younger days in the late teens and 20's he was a farmer and thought that i needed to know what was what...lol Thank you for the wonder moments I took down memory lane..I really miss my dad and I truly miss Rome Seed and Feed!!!!

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