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January 10, 1979	[ ^ I S COAST CHRONICLE	
Presenting .. . .	/	? ? c' ^
Jerome?s	/ celebrate 29th year	?? ? -i. ?
		
by Grace Gibson
Over 100 years ago, a building was erected on the corner of Main and Second Streets in downtown Bay St. Louis. It was built so long ago that wooden pegs were used in place of nails, but that building still stands today.
Known as Vairin's Grocery and Feed Store in the latter part of the 1800's, it was sold ?and became Carco's Grocery.
During 1944 and 1945, this building was used as a youth center called the -Jive Hive and many 1 young people of that day enjoyed the dancing and the good times provided
there- .___________________
*	Harold Carver > ar?rd'fils" faffier pur-chased the building on January 19, 1950, 3nd opened a department store. As Harold recently ;aid, "Everything
was in that store!" Benson Perry sold the building and lot to the Carvers.
Just after the turn of the century, August Schiro built across the street from what was then Vairin's Grocery and opened a business known as the Boston Shoe Store in ~^05T
' Half a century later, in 1956, Harold Carver bought this 'building too, but he still has the old cash register that came with the business. On it are the words "1906	- August
Schiro". He also found some very interesting old shoe displays in the attic, one of which is on display in the store today.
With the acquisition of the second ^building, the ^arvers turned the old place into Jerome's Men's Wear and made their new place into a department store featuring ladies' and children's ready-to-
wear with a shoe department, And these are the Jerome's Department Stores that the citizens of the area know so well today.
The Carvers also ran a department store under their family name, located on 25th Avenue in Gulfport, from 1965 until 1974. But they kept their business here in Bay St. Louis going at the same time.
Harold Carver says that he has thoroughly enjoyed the business and meeting so many of his customers. He vows that not a day has passed that he hasn't wanted to come to the store to see everyone.
His is a flourishing, friendly business - modern and up-to-date yet also comfortable in the old-fashioned sense in that customers feel free to browse, to talk with attentive clerks - or even with the proprietor himself, who seems to
know most of his regular customers by name just as the Vairin's must have done so many years previously.
We salute Jerome's on the' occasion of their twenty-ninth anniversary. This business has grown and flourished along with Bay St. Louis. The buildings are old - indeed, are probably historical in their age - but are still sturdy and strong enough to house Jerome's Department Store for a long, long time.
We wish them continued success but feel secure in the knowledge that such a friendly business, with a proprietor who is interested in the needs of his customers, will continue to thrive.