Perry #1 - Perry, GA

Perry #1

Sing Food Store | Deli

1203 Main Street

Perry, GA 31069

Deli Added: June, 1986

Revisited: November 24, 2021 | Original Publication: June 23, 2021

Perry #1 was built in 1970 and has a unique history to its layout.  While most convenience stores built during the early 1970s would have the pump island located directly in front of the convenience store, Perry #1 has the island in front of the adjacent retail parcel that was leased to several merchants through its life.  When asked about the reasoning for this, Dick Singletary stated that the plat of land was located adjacent to Perry First Baptist Church, and local Blue Laws would not allow alcohol sales within a certain radius of a church, school, etc.  Therefore, the gas pumps were situated in the center of the lot to allow easy access for cars while the convenience store was built on the Eastern edge of the lot to allow beer sales.  To this day, the original pump canopy stands with the same configuration as it had in 1970 which is very rare to see.  Most stations had their canopies reconfigured in the early 1990s with the onset of multi-grade gas pumps (MPDs) and higher fuel demand.

Construction and Opening: 1969 - 1970

The Houston Home Journal - June 26, 1969
Announcement for the construction of a small shopping center including the Perry Sing Store

According to The Houston Home Journal, Richard L. (Dick) Singletary purchased the property for Sing Oil Company in mid-1969 and construction began in December of that year.  In addition to the convenience store and gas station, an Eagle Discount Store was built on the site. Construction was estimated to last four months on the property.

The Houston Home Journal - December 18, 1969
Construction commences on the Perry Sing station and Eagle Discount store.

Both stores would open by July, 1970 and Perry #1 would be one of Sing's first 10 convenience stores. At that time, the industry was rapidly evolving, and Sing was one of the first companies to utilize the convenience store/gas station model that is ubiquitous today.  According to the National Association of Convenience Stores, there were 6,893 member stores nationwide and a very small portion of those sold gasoline.  Many companies, such as 7-Eleven began offering self-service gas in the 1970s and only 2,500 stores had self-service pumps by 1969. 

The Houston Home Journal - July 16, 1970
A feature titled "Perry in Progress" shows the grand opening of the Sing station and Eagle Store

Early Days: The 1970's

During its inaugural year, the Sing Food store was open from 7 AM to 11 PM, 7 days a week.  Contrary to today, it was very rare to see convenience stores that were open 24/7 but the 7-Eleven model was fairly standard.  It is also interesting to see how Sing Stores competed more directly with a grocery store than convenience stores do today. By advertising sale prices in the paper and carrying items like hot-dogs and lettuce they provided a greater selection of staple foods rather than exclusively selling snacks and soft drinks.

The Houston Home Journal - December 3, 1970
Sing Food Store Ad highlighting the sales for the week

Pushing the limits further, the Sing Food Store made history in Perry as the first food store to be given a beer license.  Granted in August, 1971, the Perry City Council allowed the store to sell packaged beer to-go in a 4-2 decision.  The dissenting votes mentioned past city policy that prohibited food stores from selling beer and one said he would not vote for "any such licenses for beer in food stores in the future.  Councilman Dan Britton, who made the motion in favor of the license, . . . said that a food store, under law, had just as much right to get a beer license as any other store."  

The Houston Home Journal - August 5, 1971
The Perry Sing Store makes history as the first food store in the city to legally sell beer

Unfortunately, for the Eagle Discount Store, business in Perry must not have been as prosperous as the owner hoped.  In the classifieds of the March 20, 1975 edition of the Houston Home Journal, an ad was purchased to advertise "The Former Top Dollar Store, Next to Sing Food Store, 4500 Square Feet" was for lease.  I'm not sure if Eagle was purchased by Top Dollar, if the name changed, or if they were the second tenant but 1975 would be the last time a dollar store was located in this parcel.  A True Value hardware store would open in the shop on November 1 of that year and was managed by Alvin Dickerson.

Perry #1 - 1974-ish - View from Main Street

Notice the aged wood on the awning compared to the earlier photo and the Top Dollar Store where the Eagle Family Discount Store used to be.

We get another view of the food store from a 1973 newspaper ad. At the time, Alex Herrera was the manager and John Peavy was the gasoline dealer. I find it interesting how several of these early food stores mention separate store managers and gasoline dealers which reflects the primitive dynamic between convenience stores and gasoline service stations.  During the late-'60s and early-'70s it was very novel for a convenience store to sell gas; therefore, they were often run like separate businesses. Eventually, Sing station managers would also be in charge of the gasoline operations.

The Houston Home Journal - March 15, 1973
Newspaper ad for the Perry Sing Store

Deli Addition: The 1980's

In coordination with Sing's delicatessen roll out of the mid-'80s, the Perry store was remodeled beginning in March of 1986.  The Deli officially opened in June of that year and featured a full article on the front of the Houston Home Journal business section.  I was ecstatic when I found this article because it provides the only picture I have of a '70s store that was retrofitted with the new circa 1986 logo.  The store also received a new façade over the awning to allow for the new style of sign and the fluorescent lighting.  The photo below shows some of the Sing employees that worked at this store. 

The Houston Home Journal - May 30, 1987
"Deli helps boost business at Sing convenience store" 
From left to right: Dorothy Hathcock, Kathy Haslem, store manager Tommy Willard, gas manager John Peavy, Michelle Robinson and Bobbie O’Brien.

In the photo above, gas manager John Peavy was wearing one of the '80s Sing blue trucker hats.  These hats featured the yellow and blue Sing logo in needlepoint on the front, a flat bill, and mesh back.  An example can be seen in the picture below.  Also, to note, Mr. Peavy worked at this station for at least 14 years but probably closer to 17.  During my preliminary research for this station, I found an obituary for John in the May 23, 1999 edition of The Macon Telegraph. This stated he also had managed a Sing Station in Cordele and worked for Sing for a total of 34 years. He was a Korean War veteran, husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather.  He died at the age of 68 and is buried in Pinehurst, GA.  Without dedicated employees like John Peavy, Sr., Sing Oil Company would not have been the reputable company it had grown in to.

A 1980's Sing Trucker Hat featuring the ca. 1986 logo

Due to its relevance to the station, here is a copy of that May 30, 1987 article from The Houston Home Journal:

If you live in Perry you have probably been in the store at least once, more than likely you visit the store at least once a week on your way home from school or from work.

The store, of course, is the Sing Food Store and Deli at 1205 Main Street. According to store manager, Tommy Willard, 99 percent of the store’s business comes from local residents.

“Sing likes to put stores in residential areas away from the interstate,” Willard said on Friday. “We’ve got people who come in here every day and I enjoy getting to know the regular customer.”

What has brought so many people into the store, especially within the last year, is the new deli the store added last year and the wide selection of merchandise, Willard said.

“This June will be the first anniversary of the deli,” he said. “The sales have increased in the store every year, but the deli has given it more of a nudge this year.”

Prior to completing the deli in June, the company began remodeling the store in March. The intent was to add more merchandise area and to spruce up the store, he said.

The deli offers fried chicken, quartered potatoes, corn dogs, sandwiches, fried okra and bulk deli meat and cheese. The Perry store is one of three Sing stores being used as test stores to find out what people want from the deli.

“We are very proud of our deli, everything is cut fresh and cooked or prepared daily,” he said. “Every time the Health Department has inspected us we received a 100 percent rating. The employees don’t prepare anything that they wouldn’t eat themselves.”

The entire store operation is geared towards people and servicing their needs. Everything Willard discussed about the store and the company’s philosophy was oriented towards providing the best possible customer service.

“We never operate with less than two people up front and during the day we always have more than that,” he said. “We are about to experiment with adding another person to the evening shift so customers won’t have to wait as long.”

Willard does not believe the store competes with the other convenience stores in Perry. He sees the stores biggest competition as being the nearby grocery stores.

“We compete with the grocery stores because of the deli, our prices and our wide selection of merchandise,” Willard said. “There are a couple of delis and convenience stores on Sam Nunn Boulevard but they are selling to the interstate clientele.”

Along with the store the company also runs a gas station as a separate operation. Willard runs the store and the deli, while John Peavy manages the gas station side of the operation. Like the store, the gas station has seen an increase in sales every year.

Peavy is also geared towards customer service and making sure the customer comes back.

“We try to help people on the self-service island if they need help,” he said. “If you treat people right they will come back, if you don’t they tell their friends and you may lose them, too.”

Both men said that the Sing Corporation is an excellent company to work for. Willard explained that most companies give the manager very little freedom to adapt the store to the communities’ wants and needs, but with Sing, the exact opposite is true.

“When I joined the company, the vice-president [Probably John Parker, vice-president of stations] told me that this is the closest one could come to owning a store without any financial investment,” Willard said. ‘‘I have the ability to do a lot of things. The main thing though is that they let the managers manage.”

To keep everything running smoothly Willard manages 13 people and may be adding more soon.

Willard sees a bright future ahead for the store and the company. The company is exploring the option of opening another store in the Perry area once they can determine which way the city is going to grow. He explained that because of the company’s desire to serve the local community, such a decision will require a lot of thought.

"I see the store growing in sales and in merchandise along with the growth of Perry,” he said. “Since we depend on the local population, we have to offer the best services and products available."

The store is open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. The gas station is open from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. seven days a week. The telephone number for call-in orders at the deli is 987-0285. 

Additionally, in the September 6, 1989 edition of The Houston Home Journal, it is mentioned that the city council approved a manager change on the beer and wine license.  I assume the store manager changed since the 1987 article because Allen Brooks Cagle is listed as the former manager on the license and Patsy Ann Irvin as the new manager. This would be the final mention of the Sing Store in The Houston Home Journal.

A New Era: The 1990's

In 1995, Blimpie moved in to the former Sing Deli with a new concept for the chain. This store was special because it was co-branded with the Amoco convenience store.  It also featured four distinct services: traditional sandwiches, a full bakery including doughnuts, breakfast, and catering.  No other Blimpie at the time had all four services.  Additionally, the article mentions that the True-Value store was still open nearly twenty-years after it began in the location.

The Houston Times-Journal - February 22, 1995
"Blimpies kicks off new concept"

 

Amoco ran some co-branded Amoco-Sing ads in the Perry market shortly after the 1990 merger but those will have to wait until my post on the Perry Travel Center (Perry #2).  In the meantime, I did find one Amoco/Blimpie ad in The Houston Times-Journal (the paper changed its name in 1994) for this station.  We can see one of the coupons Blimpie would have issued to garner business for this location below.

The Houston Times-Journal - November 20, 1995
Newspaper ad for the Perry Pan Am, Amoco, and Blimpie

Modern Store: The 2020's

Since the '90s, the store has changed brands several times:  first BP, then Quick Serve, and now Gulf.  When I visited in November, 2021, the store was undergoing a minor interior renovation to remove some of the '80s and '90s decor. 

The exterior of the store hasn't changed too much since it was built, and even includes the original gas canopy.  You can also see part of a Sing parking lot light on the left side of this shot.

Here is the underside of the '60s pump canopy and what is left of the attendant stand.  This is possibly the last original canopy left from this era of Sing because most were removed around the Amoco merger to install multi-grade dispensers.

I'm not totally sure what purpose it is serving, but this is the section of the gas attendant station still standing.  We can see the Sing blue paint coming through, which shows how long it has gone without a paint job.  My guess is it houses some valves that the current owner didn't want to pay to move.

Heading inside the store, we see the old register and deli counter.  I assume this station was laid out like Columbus #4 when it was sold to Amoco, but it looks like the current owner wanted to move the register to the left wall.  Blimpie installed the tiles on the back wall and the current deli counter on the left; the grey bulkhead seems to be original.  Sing's register would have been on the right of this shot where the red booths are.

Speaking of red booths, those look awfully familiar . . . didn't we see some like that in Laurel?  What a coincidence!  Anyway, it looks like they moved from their original location.  I believe they should be to the left of the door.

Here is the general merchandise section on the right side of the store.  We can again see the bulkhead over the former cash register and catch a glimpse of the drink coolers to the right.  I didn't get a specific picture of the register, but the cashier looked very suspicious of the world, and there wasn't anything notable on that side of the store.

Here is a final look at the convenience store and former hardware store.  But wait, there's more!

That's right, the original Sing vacuum / air station is still here!  This store's was in the front, right corner of the lot, just behind the road sign.

ICEEs

For those who don't know, Sing convenience stores were known for their ICEE machines that provided relief from the South Georgia and North Florida heat.  Many people I run into remember going to the Sing store as a child to buy an ICEE and cool off.  Having only been invented in 1958, the frozen drink was gaining huge popularity during the 1960s and 1970s which coincided with Sing's convenience store expansion. Posts on social media can still be found that mention getting an ICEE from a Sing store.

@jarymac (Instagram) - May 11, 2016

ICEEs in front of the former Perry #1 Sing store

 

It is good to know that an ICEE can still be found at a Sing store nearly 30 years after the merger! To top all of that off, the station still has a piece of the original pump attendant booth in place and one of the original parking lot lighting fixtures.

 

@karensingletary (Instagram) - April 4, 2018

NOS Sing Ice Bags inspire memories of getting an ICEE from the Sing store

Other family members remember riding a tandem bike to the Sing store for an ICEE but having to bring a red plastic cup since the Styrofoam Sing cups were too expensive and for paying customers only! 

Sing Drink Center in Gulfport, MS - Late 1980s

The full array of drinks offered at Sing stores, including a Stoelting frozen drink machine on the left.

Perry #1 while still a BP station - around 2012?

(Photo from Houston County Property Tax Records)

Google Street Views

Google Street View - August 2012

Perry #1 as a BP station - View from Main Street

 

Google Street View - August 2019

Perry #1 as a Gulf station - View from Main Street

 

Aerial Views

Historic Aerials - 1955

Perry #1 undeveloped lot to the north of US 341

Historic Aerials - 1971

Perry #1 shortly after constructed

Historic Aerials - 1993

Perry #1 shortly after Amoco conversion

Historic Aerials - 2019

Perry #1 as a Gulf station with original pump canopy

In conclusion, I want to give a special thanks to the staff of The Houston Home Journal for helping with this post and the future Perry Travel Center post.  I reached out to see if they had original prints of news photos of this station.  While they could not find any, they sent me pictures from the original papers in their archive with better lighting.  I sincerely appreciate the time they spent for such a random request!

Additional Resources: 

Historic Aerials

Google Earth Pro

Google Maps

Instagram

Georgia Historic Newspapers

Parcel ID: 0P0020 083000 

Houston County Property Records