MULLEN STYLE SHOP

by L. Berniece Wadlow

Entry B13 from the History of Hooker County Nebraska
with permission of the Hooker County Historical Society

Mullen Style Shop owned by Effie Wadlow and Berniece Wadlow
from 1938 to 1943 located in right half of Walker building.

Mullen Style Shop. Clerk is Effie Wadlow, Customer
is Effie Worrell, Berniece Wadlow's mother.

I believe the Mullen Style Shop was started
about 1934 by Maude Ham Schooler, and was
located in a corner building on the south east
corner of First Street and Washington Ave.
in Mullen, Nebr.

Merchandise carried consisted of ladies
ready to wear, lingerie, hosiery, girls clothing
and many gift selections. One feature that
was appreciated by the owner and customers
were the availability of having new and
different styles in ladies dresses. They were
purchased on "Consignment" which meant
they were received and offered for sale for a
period of six weeks to two months, then the
unsold dresses, not desired for display, were
returned to the company and a new shipment
of designs, colors, sizes and styles would be
sent to the shop.

About 1936 Maude rented the west part of
the Walker building on main street, which is,
in 1986, the "Cosmo Beauty Shop", and
moved her shop to the new location.
Berniece Wadlow started helping Maude
in the Style Shop in 1935 and assisted her in
moving to the new location. By 1938 Maude
was ready to sell her shop and develop
another career for herself. Effie Wadlow and
Berniece Wadlow purchased the stock of
merchandise and equipment from Maude
and continued business in the Walker build-
ing.

Shortly after this change in ownership
Phyllis Dyer Humphrey set up a Beauty Shop
in the rear part of the Style Shop. This was
a very pleasant arrangement and an asset to
the community.

The first of 1943 Berniece was asked to
return to teaching Home Economics in the
Mullen School System. She decided she
would like to go back to her original Career,
but it also meant she would be required to
attend summer school for 8 weeks to renew
her certificate. Effie and Berniece sold the
Style Shop to Florence Barneby.

After the Wadlows sold the Style Shop to
Florence Barnebey I am not sure of dates but
believe that Florence and Walter moved it to
their building which is now the "B&D
Enterprises". Later she sold the business to
Nellie Johnston who moved it next door east
to her new building, now "Peg's Beauty
Shop". Several years later Nellie sold shop to
Lucy Isom who moved it to a location on main
street, later they sold to Lucille Schmoker,
the present owner of the business known as
"Lucy's".

I would like to give you an example of the
great difference in "Holiday" shopping in the
30's and 40's and today, 1987. In the 30's and
40's everyone looked forward to the opening
of the holiday displays in the stores and
especially the new merchandise in the display
windows. The tradition was to have the new
holiday merchandise ready for the customers
on the Fri. after Thanksgiving. That meant
that the month of December was for Christ-
mas shopping, not in July and August as is
the custom now. Each holiday was observed
during its calendar month. I will grant that
some of these changes are for the improv-
ement of business but on the other hand some
of the true holiday fun is taken away from us
in rushing the sales ahead.