Hokanson General Store is one of the few forgotten businesses of Elroy, Texas next to the Elroy Farmer’s Gin Company, Elroy Rabies Clinic, and Tesco. This news article will explain the business and history behind Hokanson General Store.
The Hokanson family came from Sweden to the Oak Hill area, latin moving to the Elroy area and then Driskoll Pastures in 1893. On November 23, 1909, Andrew Hokanson, and John Walter Hokanson began the partnership which would eventually become Hokanson General Store.
Hokanson General Store was built in 1909 on a 192,971 square foot lot. The building was 1,318 square feet. Now this building was not originally a general store. It was originally a physician’s office owned by a local physician. The two sons purchased this building from that local physician in 1918. (Ref: https://www.har.com/homedetail/13903-f-m-road-812-del-valle-tx-78617/9876327)
The two sons opened Hokanson General Store in 1919. There were canned goods sold on the shelves early in the 20 century, but never in such variety like now. He had sold some "male" hybrid corn for $2.25 and some "female" corn at $2. Children liked candy that was stored in a cavernous candy case. The original store burned down in 1920. The store would be rebuilt later that year using some of the building material used from the original store. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/378982879/)
John Walter Hokanson ran and owned Hokanson General Store for many years as a typical country store. Hokanson General Store was also known as Hokanson Store, Crossroads Store, and J.W. Hokanson Store. Most of the neighborhood gossip went on at his store. His store served a post stop for as a rural version of the town crier.
J. W. Hokanson had been a country storekeeper for 39 years in 1948. He was a typical country storekeeper in the age of tractor farming and truck hauling. (Ref: https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/385752611/)
By 1948, Hokanson General Store had fallen on hard times. 40 years caused a lot of changes in merchandising, even in a country store such as Hokanson General Store. High interest rates caused prices to be higher. Despite hard times, Hokanson General Store kept enough merchandise on hand to keep most of the people in the community satisfied with the service. Hokanson General Store hardly ever advertised like the big chain stores do. (Ref: Austin American, COUNTRY STORE SYSTEM OF CREDIT GONE FOREVER, SAYS ELROY GROCER BY DAVE SHANKS, 1948)
“The chain stores, Hokanson says, changed the credit system for grocery buying in the country. Forty years ago, a man would walk into the store, tell Hokanson which place he was on, and get $250 or $300 in credit. Hokanson borrowed from the banks and wholesale houses to carry over his farm customers. Those days are gone forever, for the cash carry system in the towns and cities cut out the credit business in the country grocery store. The interest rate is too high and causes prices to be higher.”
Hokanson General Store served as the base for an animal clinic called Elroy Clinic. Dr. Tom Beckett served as the veterinarian for Elroy Rabies Clinic and Elroy Clinic. The clinic was conducted for dogs and cats with a vaccination fee of $2. (Ref: Vaccination Of Dogs Set American News Service, https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/386551085/)
“ELROY — Dr. Tom Beckett, veterinarian, will be at Hokanson's Store here Thursday to vaccinate area cogs. Rabies vaccinations will be given from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. at a cost of $2 per dog”
“Persons owning pets are encouraged to have their animals vaccinated at the earliest possible date, officials said. Rabies shots are available to the public at $2 per animal from 5-6 p.m., Thursday at Hokanson's Store in Elroy (Dr. Tom Beckett), and from 4-6 p.m. Friday at the City Hall in Manor (Dr. Wallace Cardwell).”
John Walter Hokanson later sold Hokanson General Store to his wife Marcene Hokanson Thaxton. She would take over operations and run the store.
September 27, 1973 is the date and the last day Hokanson General Store operated. Marcene Hokanson Thaxton closed the store to spend more time with her newly wedded husband, Dr. Hugh Thaxton, a veterinarian. Hokanson General Store was used as a storage/workshop and was open to the public only on election day as the store served as the polling place for Travis County Precinct 402 by then. (Ref: Austin American-Statesman, Page 13, Monday, November 29, 1976)
“It's all there nail kegs around the stove, one-cent match dispenser, slightly uneven, a glassed-in office in the corner, a cavernous candy case and the memories. Sept. 27, 1973, is the date on the calendar the last day the Hokanson Store in the small town of Elroy was open. Mrs. Marcene Hokanson Thaxton closed the store on the town's main street to spend more time with her new husband, Dr. Hugh Thaxton, a veterinarian. The Thaxtons were married in 1972.”
“Although it's used as a storage-workshop now and open to the public only on election day (it's the polling place for Travis County Precinct 402), Except for the long wooden bench on the porch, the store's weather-beaten exterior reveals nothing about what's inside. The interior of the Hokanson store could easily be a "general store" set for a television or movie production. It's a clean, though dusty, dimly-lit museum. Only about a dozen canned goods still stand on the once-full shelves, but a farmer could find a suitable wardrobe of work clothes, including a cap and brogans. Plenty of thread, dusty cosmetics, medicines and baking items remain.”
Marcene Hokanson Thaxton sold the Hokanson General Store to A. T. Hokansen in 1973. This was also the year A. T. Hokansen would sell some of his property to August Nelson and Hill Nelson. The couple would use this property to build a restaurant called Bubba’s Grill. (Ref: Travis County Deeds, Volume 355, Page 443)
A. T. Hokansen sold the property Hokanson General Store was located on to Henry Foradory sometime in the 1970s. (Ref: Travis County Deeds, Volume 9252, Page 703)
Henry Foradory used this property to operate a store which would become Fora Dora’s/Foradory’s. Fora Dora’s was also Foradora’s Grocery, Foradory’s Grocery and Foradory’s Cafe. (Ref: Travis County Deeds, Volume 9252, Page 588)
Foradory’s was also a gas station for over 7 years. Henry Foradory and James Foradory Sr. operated this gas station together. The gas station was known for using reasonable prices. (Ref: Lockhart Post Register, Page 14, December 15, 1983)
“Christmas came early to customers of Foradory's Gas & Grocery store in Elroy last weekend as prices for all gas, regular, lead-free, and diesel all came down to under a dollar a gallon. It was 99 cents across the board and Henry plans to cut prices again at least a couple of times during the holidays. There's also a huge Santa's stocking hanging in the front of the store with entry blanks underneath for children 12 years old or younger. Drawing for the stocking full of goodies will be Dec. 23.”
This store would eventually become Elroy Country Corner on the date of 6/26/1985. Elroy Country Corner would operate as a store at this location for 10 years until 1995. Henry Foradory sold the property to S R R INVESTMENTS INC on the date of 6/20/1995 and Elroy Country Corner would move into a storefront located across FM 812. (Ref: http://propaccess.traviscad.org/clientdb/Property.aspx?prop_id=810442)
The Hokanson General Store became abandoned in 1996. The wooden floors became uneven as the store building soon fell into disrepair. However Hokanson General Store still looked like a store despite falling into disrepair. A glassed-in office in the corner was still in place and a long wooden bench on the porch could be seen on the outside. Hokanson General Store would sit abandoned and unused for almost 2 decades.
Hokanson General Store stood until 2014 when S R R INVESTMENTS INC demolished the store to make way for a Dollar General Store. Today a Dollar General Store resides over the former location of Hokanson General Store. S R R INVESTMENTS INC continues to own this property.
Hokanson General Store was located 13913 FM 812, Del Valle, Texas, US 78617.
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