2023.04.27 THROW BACK THURSDAY - SUSAN PFEIFER'S DESIGN CENTER
THROW BACK THURSDAY - SUSAN PFEIFER'S DESIGN CENTER and some surprising CLASS NEWS
Another wonderful article from Jim Pfeifer that concerns out classmate, Susan Pfeifer:
History Preserved in the Heights
As you turn the “last corner” of curvaceous Kavanaugh Boulevard at the merge of Van Buren and Club Roads, tucked away amid leafy trees, is the near 100 year-old complex of buildings known by some generations as “Country Club Station.” This is likely Arkansas’ first suburban shopping center designed to accommodate shoppers arriving by automobile. Also, it is the state’s first multi-building suburban shopping center built with common designers and management. It was designed about 1927 to recall the centuries-old shops of the Cotswolds and similar historic European village shopping areas. “Country Club Station” was named when the streetcar tracks were laid all the way to the Heights in 1903. The streetcar stopped at the island park (now Encore Bank). Patrons of the Little Rock Country Club emerged from the streetcar there, and walked through the woods on a narrow boardwalk over a muddy trail and on a swinging bridge over a creek to the new country club.
By 1930 the shopping center housed two grocery stores (Kroger and Piggly Wiggly), a bakery (Bolton’s), a cleaners, barber shop and Smith’s Drug Store. Terry’s Grocery (now known as Heights Corner Market) came on the scene after World War 2 as did Franke’s Bakery. Restaurants as Bullard’s and Halls, and designer shops as Foster Cochran, Victor Zanovich and The Design Center (now followed by Cobblestone and Vine) added culinary and visual interest.
Smith’s Drugs (now relocated to a new strip just to the west) had been a special landmark in the historic complex since Purcell Smith conceived it in the late 1920s. Later adding a soda fountain and grill, the store became a meeting place for families of the area. The store’s comic book racks had special appeal for kids. One prominent businessman recalls that Smith’s had two doors. He would ride his bicycle in one door, grab and read a comic book, and ride out the other door. Another recalls taking his dog to Smith’s and having it fed so well by patrons that the dog wouldn’t leave. It eventually was given to the Smith’s owners and became a permanent resident.
The building complex, extending several hundred feet in an “L”, has expanded to include Heights Liquor which was designed to blend with the old Tudoresque style. The current owners, though different investors from the original builders, continue to manage the multi-building complex as a single center. They have continued to preserve the buildings as they were initially designed, encouraging handsome signage, planting trees, and continuing a great atmosphere for pedestrian shoppers.
A few years back, our classmate, Susan Pfeifer bought and ran The Design Center. One person described her as "She was always there with her huge round glasses and unique clothes.
1956 Class News
Update on Farris Spann. He did have successful surgery on both carteroid arteries, is home now and feeling fine.
He loved receiving the cards from the girls and guys and any others of you that contacted him.
So other than Farris, which is good news, it must have been a wonderful week since no one has fallen, forgot where they parked their car and are still looking for it or just feels rotten as far as I know!!!!
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MAY YOU LIVE TO BE SO OLD THAT YOUR DRIVING TERRIFIES PEOPLE!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(I'm not so sure this is funny anymore!!! )
ML