My Daddy and Mom, Clayton (1895 - 1964) and Becky Upton (1900 - 1979) , had the store twice, once a short time, and then in 1944 they purchased it from the McDowells and ran it for 20 years.
Previous owners were: George Taylor and his wife;
Mr. & Mrs. Tommy Garrison, they had a son, T. L.;
Bruce Evans and wife;
Mr. & Mrs. Morgan Sims and son M. G.;
Claude McDowell and wife.
The Ron (Upton) Store was located 8 miles north, 3 miles east, one fourth mile South of Hollis, just across the road east from Ron School. They sold groceries, gas and oil, cow, hog and chicken feed. They sold ice from the Ice House.
My Dad had a farm; mom took care of the store while he was working at the farm. He also liked to go hunting. My wife, Johnnie and I worked in the store part time, also Perry Card. Their house was about 100 yards from the Store. They would close the store at Christmas.
Some of our regular customers were: Mr. Tom Nail who walked to the Store every morning. He lived three-fourths mile south of the Store. He told a funny story about a little brown mule and bay mule.
Elvoy and Loretta (Chambers) Owen, both teachers at Ron, lived in a Teacherage, the last house South of school, about 200 yards from the Store, he had a bird dog he called Doc, he would write a note, attach it to the dog�s neck to tell Dad or Mom what he needed, the dog would bring it to the Store and later Mr. Owen would come pick up the items. One day he brought his dog to school and had him to do several tricks.
The following are a few of our many customers: Mrs. Albert Hays, Olen McClendon, Dennis Shelby, Mr. Logan, Alvin Carter, Tom Nail, Earl Edmonson, John Nail, Albert McVickers, Tom Moore, R. Z. Gambil, Mr. and Mrs. Short Leathers, Troy and Zella Jo Leathers, Mr. & Mrs. Ernest Tice, Dick Whorton, John Templeton, Bodle Wiley, Pete Thomason, Sam Pennington, Hugh and Myrtle Metcalf, Dave Strickland, David Wooley. There were many others whom I do not remember.
O. A. "Buffalo" Boone built a Shop just north of the Store; he worked on the Ron School Buses and just about anything else. He was the Master Mechanic and Perry Card was Custodian for Ron School.
In 1964 due to dad�s failing health, Mom and Dad moved into Hollis and in July, 1964, my Dad passed away. In May, 1965, the tornado hit Ron, tore up the Gin, the School, Ron Store and damaged several houses. That was the end of Ron Store
