Transylvania County Library logo
Sam Allison, far right, with several employees inside his

City Market butcher shop.

In the
first decade of the 1900s there were several butcher shops or meat markets
located in Brevard. W.H. “Bill” Duckworth was involved in the business as early
as 1907.  Duckworth had a couple of
different partners and different locations initially.  By late 1910 Duckworth’s shop, known as City
Market, was located on West Main St. and it was reported that he had purchased
an electric mill to aid in processing meats into sausage.


Between
1915 and 1919 City Market changed hands several times being owned by S.F. “Sam”
Allison and Younge, Allison and Johnson, and then Allison solely for a
while.  In August 1918, Allison sold the
business to J. Frank McCall who added a refrigerated counter and showcase.  McCall sold it to W.J. Smith but by May 1919
City Market has back in the hands of Duckworth and Allison. 

An employee and Sam Allison stand with knives

at the ready outside the City Market on the south

side of West Main St., circa 1920.  Also pictured is

Allison’s wife, Cora.

In
early 1920 Allison bought out Duckworth and would continue to operate City
Market for many years.  In addition to
beef, pork, lamb, chicken, turkey and fish, the market carried produce and
eggs. 

In
February 1922 Allison moved the business across the street to a storefront
between Clement Jewelry and Plummer and Trantham’s Department Store on the
north side of West Main Street.  Allison
also announced that the shop would carry a large supply of grocery items,
foreign and domestic fresh and cured meats, along with local meats, eggs and
produce.

Allison
announced his retirement in May 1945. 
Through the years he had made many friends and become known for his
barbeques and fish fries.  He was often
in charge of benefit dinners for local events and held large wild game feeds
and fish fries at his home on the (Old) Hendersonville Hwy. for large gatherings
of friends. 

Allison
died as the result of a car accident in October 1950.  Sam and Cora Allison are buried in the Oak
Grove Cemetery in Brevard.

Sam Allison with large fish outside his City Market shop.

Photographs
and information for this column are provided by the Rowell Bosse North Carolina
Room, Transylvania County Library. Visit the NC Room during regular library
hours (Monday-Friday) to learn more about our history and see additional
photographs. For more information, comments, or suggestions contact Marcy at [email protected]
or 828-884-1820.

search our catalog

search our events

search our website

search our catalog

search our events

search our website

(828) 884-3151

212 S Gaston St, Brevard, NC 28712