Windows to the Past – a piece of history displayed as window art in remembrance of three longstanding Lamar businesses

Pictured, left to right:  Front row – Karen Sanders, Kenny Davis, Larry Noble, Sharon Noble Headrick, Susan Noble Wollert, Ruthie Turner and Desiree Ellis.  Back row – Kelby Repp, Sean Lewis, Matt Amrine, Sam Vigil, Bryana Carter, Nick Carter. 

More downtown Lamar storefronts had a facelift recently, similar to the project that was done at The Lassie, which honored Beverly Augustine and her iconic store. A committee of community members who wish to remain anonymous approached the owner of the building that housed three long-standing Lamar businesses – Davis Western Wear, Green’s Jewelry and The Hair Gallery in the 100 block of S. Main Street.  All three have long since been shuttered.  The vision the committee had was to create a homage to the families who owned and ran these beloved stores, provide a tribute to their history and contribution to Lamar and improve the aesthetics of the building. Nick and Bryana Carter of Xtreme Graphics in Lamar designed and installed the colorful window panels that portray these stories of the past. The project began in earnest when Desiree Ellis, owner of Desiree’s Night Club introduced the committee to Jigisha Shah, who currently owns the building the three stores were located in.  Ms. Shah agreed to let the group proceed with the project at their own expense and was helpful to the group during the process. Ellis and committee members then visited Advantage Treatment Center to discuss utilizing some of ATC’s resident inmates for the labor as a part of a community service project which they readily agreed to. During the conversation, it was learned that ATC had been wanting a flagpole and American flag outside its facility.  Ellis donated the flag and asked Karen Sanders if she would donate the pole, which she did.

Once the plan was in place, Kelby Repp, who owns Repps Washing Services, prepped the area by doing the power washing before the rest of the project got underway. A crew of ATC workers, supervised by Matt Amrine, Sean Lewis, and Sam Vigil, began the reconstruction of the damaged concrete on the Davis Western Wear location to match the original work which was designed to look like logs.  The crew also gave the entire project a fresh paint job.  The committee’s goal was to have the entire project completed in time for the 2025 Lamar Days festivities.  However, before the window graphics could be installed, the door to Davis Western Wear was heavily damaged by vandals.  Ms. Shah didn’t think she could have the repairs made in time for the Lamar Days deadline but the committee stepped in and asked Ralph Campbell if he could help and Shah agreed to allow him to do the work.  He was able to fix the doorframe and replace the glass so that the project could stay on schedule.  The committee wanted to thank him publicly in this article for his quick and professional work and for “saving the day” and allowing them to complete the project in time.

The stories of the three businesses and their families are woven into the memories of our community. Davis Western Wear was established in Lamar in 1963 by Harl Davis and was later purchased by Bill Thompson. The store began as a saddle and boot store that later evolved to include western clothing and décor items.   Green’s Jewelry was established in 1947 by Weldon Green, father-in-law of Oscar Noble. It is Oscar who most people in Lamar remember as the “face” of Green’s Jewelry, as he worked there beginning in the 1950s before purchasing the store.  The Hair Gallery was owned by Ruthie Turner, who remained in the location for 36 years, styling the hair of many Lamar women over the years.  The Davis Western Wear windows along Main Street have photos of both the Davis and Thompson families working in the store, along with a photo of the original storefront, displaying the original “Davis Saddle and Boot Shop and Leather Goods” sign that hung above the entry.  Windows on the north side of the building display the colorful logos of clothing and boot brands the store sold throughout the years, highlighted against a wood-grain background. The Green’s Jewelry windows are filled with photos of the interior of the shop and its owners and employees, along with a listing of the employees who worked there over the many years the store was in downtown Lamar.  The background for all the photos in the Green’s windows are pastel-colored puzzle pieces to honor Oscar’s love of jigsaw puzzles, colors reflected in the paint scheme on the front of the building.  Another photo shows the 1965-1966 remodeling of the store, which was necessitated by damage from the historic flood in the summer of 1965.  The Hair Gallery windows show Ruthie styling the hair of several of her grandchildren when they were young as well as photos of staff during a Moonlight Madness event and a group of women posing with their stylish hairstyles.

While the committee provided the funding for the cleaning and restoration of the façade, members of the Davis, Thompson, Noble, and Turner families paid for the graphic displays in their respective windows. The finished project looks beautiful and provides both a history of and a visual reminder of downtown Lamar in years past and is sure to bring back wonderful memories to many Lamar residents who patronized these businesses.  Boots and hats from from Davis Western Wear adorned many a cowboy (or cowgirl!), gifts from Green’s Jewelry no doubt delighted many a loved one and countless women left The Hair Gallery feeling like a movie star with their new ‘dos.  The committee knocked it out of the park with this project!

By Barbara Crimond