Charles Florey Building (Tatum Furniture)

Between the Florey building and the city hall building on its left, a covered spaced housed the single fire truck that served the fire department. On the first floor of the building, a drug store shared space with varying businesses over the years: in the late 1940s, J.N. Youngblood's mercantile store occupied the space, but was soon replaced by Tatum Furniture and later Bowen's Cafe.

Tatum Furniture

1956 ad from Friscola yearbook
Just behind the men under the striped awning is the "garage" for the town's fire truck.



Annie Laura Tatum, who started Tatum Furniture with her husband 1946, remembers her father using the store space for a unique purpose:

1957 Friscola yearbook ad



1960 Friscola yearbook ad



Mr. and Mrs. Tatum ran the store for about 30 years.


















Their son, Jimmy, below describes with his wife Fredia the workings of the store, including the delivery truck he drove when he worked at the store in his youth.



1957 Friscola yearbook ad




The truck on the left is the mentioned "courting" truck.