Historic Salem #8D: Little Gem Grocery at A.C. Gilbert’s Discovery Village

Little Gem Grocery on September 10, 2006

The Little Gem Grocery was originally built in 1925 on the northwest corner of Chemeketa and 17th Streets. The store has a gabled roof hidden by an Italian false front, much like many other frontier buildings of the West. In the 1920’s and 1930’s, the store was operated by a series of owners, including the Wilsons, Clarks, Nelsons, and Largents. The “mom and pop” grocery was a single room lined with shelves and was an important source of milk, bread, eggs, and canned goods for area neighbors. The Court-Chemeketa Historic Renewal, Inc. headed up the effort to rescue the Little Gem from demolition in 1996. The Little Gem was moved to its current location and restored in 1998, with major funding provided by Parviz & Maudie Saimee, Owners of The Shutterbug, with special appreciation to David Greene, Greg Oldham, Chemeketa-Court Historic Renewal Inc., Roy & Hazel Patton, Bonnie & Roger Hull, Mark Hildebrand of Rainbow Construction Co., Harold Otto, Larry Dalke, Larry Bilyeu, and Dewey Long.

Roy B. Patton Plaque at the Little Gem Grocery

The Little Gem Grocery also bears a plaque presented by the Northeast Neighborhood Association in honor of Roy B. Patton (June 5, 1922 – June 4, 1998) in recognition of his contributions to the Salem community.

Historical Photos:
Little Gem Grocery in its original location (Salem Public Library)

Continue to 8E: Wilson-Durbin House…