Growing up, we all remember stores in Riverview and people who provided goods and services when it seemed that we could not shop in the white establishments of Kingsport back in the day.
This list and the goods and services provided, are evidence that, back in the day, Riverview was a self-contained community. While our major wage earners were toiling away at Tennessee Eastman, Kingsport Press, Mead, Borden Mills (J.P. Stevens), Holliston Mills, Holston Valley Community Hospital, and the various white retail stores in Kingsport... many of our OWN people provided our own community with goods and services. Once you see the list, you'll see that, as residents, we wanted for nothing in our neighborhood.
It took 8 virtues as defined by Webster's Dictionary, to bravely offer services to our Riverview neighborhood:
SERVICE: an act of helpful activity: the ability, coming from one's knowledge, practice, aptitude, etc., to do something well.
SKILL: the ability, coming from one's knowledge, practice, and aptitude, to do something well.
ENTREPRENEURSHIP: a person who organizes and manages any enterprise, especially a business, usually with considerable initiative and risk.
AMBITION: an earnest desire for some type of achievement or distinction, and the willingness to strive for its attainment.
TALENT: a special natural ability or aptitude.
DEDICATION: wholly committed to something, as to an ideal cause, or personal goal.
DREAM: a strong desire, longing, or aim; ambition.
SURVIVAL: The single, most important word that helped our Riverview business people - to get along or remain healthy, happy, and unaffected in spite of some occurrence (as in not being able to shop or frequent Kingsport's white retailers).
CLICK ON THE PICTURE TO SEE RIVERVIEW, 1963
Since we had our own school, the following people offered goods and services to the Riverview Community so much so, that if we didn't want to go outside our community, we didn't have to.
Since we had our own school, the following people offered goods and services to the Riverview Community so much so, that if we didn't want to go outside our community, we didn't have to.
GROCERY STORES:
Rev. C.E. & Bertha Edge
Paul Taylor
John Cox
Mose McKnight
Emmitt & Hattie Collins
Grace & Elic Gilmore
RESTAURANTS:
Jason & Nora Mae Taylor
Karen Schofield
James Swafford, Sr.
James Swafford, Jr.
The Kenshaw's
George Fortune
The Swagerty's (wigs, hair products, jewelry)
Linda & Charles Wade
Jimmy Carnes
SHOE SALESMEN:
Edgar McClintock
BEAUTICIANS, HOME-BASED:
Mrs. Tillie Trammell
Louise Horton
Eloise Long
Cora CoxEthel Daniels
Hazel Lindsey
Ernestine Coward (also did hair for Curry Funeral Home)
COSMETICS:
Veronica Pageant
BARBERS:
Vollie Hickman
Oscar McClintock
George McMiller, Jr.
Dan Greene
Lee Walton
Jerome Pierce, Sr.
PAINTERS:
James Skaggs
Jams Edward McClintock
Mr. McLemore
Fred Comage
CAB COMPANY:
Bron Long
CAB COMPANY:
Bron Long
CARPET & FURNITURE CLEANING, BUILDING MAINTENANCE:
Horace P. Sneed
Horace M. Sneed
LANDLORDS, REALTORS, BOARDING HOUSES:
Jim & Ella Stafford
V.O. Dobbins
Rev. C.E. & Bertha Edge
Emmitt & Hattie Collins
Leola AllenMrs. Montrose
George Fortune
Edgar McClintock
CONTRACTORS, HOMEBUILDERS:
James Stevenson
C.C. KizerLyons and Son Construction
Vincent Maxwell Concrete
Leeper's Concrete Company, Clifford Leeper
TRASH COLLECTORS:
Isom Smith
Luther Hardy
MUSICAL TUTORS:
Ethel Daniels (piano)
CATERERS, WEDDING DIRECTOR:
Lucille WattersonSara Whelchel
Rev. William Stokley
COAL & PRODUCE:
George Hodge
NIGHTCLUBS:
Homer King
Harvey Wilmer
RETAILER:
Steve Machen
RETAILER:
Steve Machen
STAINLESS STEEL PRODUCT SALESMEN:
R.C. Lyons
ENTERTAINERS:
Brownie McGhee
Stick McGhee
Kenneth Springs
Donald Flack
Marshall Davis
Arthur Flack
Rudolph Hall
Charles "Sonny" Sanders
Henry Summers
Joe Manuel
Bobby Hoard
Mack Flack
Fletcher Hutchinson
PAVERS:
Rev. Turner family
TAX PREPARERS:
Willard Long, Sr.
Ron Collins
Paul Smith
DOCTORS:
Dr. Sanders
Dr. Frances
Dr. Faust
Dr. Massengill
Dr. Todd
HOME REMODELERS, REPAIRS:
Will McClintock
CARPET:
Linda and Jerry Mason
MORTICIAN, FUNERAL DIRECTOR:
Horace V. Curry
The Rolans
CAR MECHANIC, ENGINE REPAIR:
Jim Fanny
Mack Stafford
THIS IS AN ON-GOING LIST. IF WE HAVE MISSED ANYBODY, PLEASE LET US KNOW AT DOUGLASSRIVERVIEW@GMAIL.COM
