This building, and another one separated by an empty lot, are the oldest remaining commercial storefronts in Climax. Other than the removal of a shed roof on the front of the building and the addition of a restroom in the rear, it’s virtually unchanged from its original appearance.
Ira Albert Allen (1869-1924) and Walter Samuel Allen (1873-1931) established the Allen Mercantile Company in 1903 and operated the business until they went bankrupt in 1916. Typical of merchants of the day, the Allen Mercantile Company sold groceries, hardware, dry goods, and farm supplies, probably even caskets. The store was also home to the Climax post office from 1905 until the 1930s .The store also housed the Climax post office from 1905 until the 1930s. John P. Herring bought the store from the bank after the Allen brothers went bankrupt. Ira’s daughter, Inez Allen, reopened the store in the 1930s and operated it until the 1960s.
Bernice Doyle writes: This store was known as Miss Inez’ s Mercantile Store. My mother worked for her for many years. It is sad to see it is falling in. Climax looks nothing like it did when I was growing up there. Jean Ouzts notes: I am the Climax news paper correspondent for the Bainbridge Post Searchlight…There were several other stores on Main Street before being torn down for the building of Parker Park. Grover’s store, which later became Gowan’s, and then B&B or Bishop and Betts.
National Register of Historic Places
Note: This replaces and updates a post originally published on 26 October 2009. It was my very first post from Decatur County.
What a great building! Classic mercantile. It’s truly sad these old stores are not restored and used again, but for what these days? Relics of the past!
Brian, that store as pictured here doesn’t look large enough to have much of a selection of goods including caskets. Lol jim
I always wondered how this little town got its name; also Enigma, in SW GA! Enigma Hardware was a small customer of my family’s wholesale business, many years ago, but we never had a customer in Climax.
Rafe, the story goes that it was the highest point between Savannah and the Chattahoochee River on the railroad line, hence the name. Not sure how accurate that is, though. I think the elevation at Climax is around 300 feet.
Interesting. How about Enigma? (There’s also “Dacula” [Dracula without the R] and “Arcade,” one-time home of the cheapest beer in NW GA.)