McLaughlin's Grocery, Frankie's Chicken Shack honored

Buddy Glenn was awarded the Best Dressed Award. Photo by J.W. Cathcart.

Vonda Bruce and Jerry Miller present Sherry Hawthorne with the Best Community Leader Award. Photo by J.W. Cathcart.

Chris Scarborough, who is legall blind, provided entertainment during the OCAA show, singing, dancing and playing the harmonica. Photo by J.W. Cathcart.

Members of the Shining Stars organization gather on the red carpet before the show. Photo by J.W. Cathcart.

OCAA Committee members, left to right, Terri Shaw, Colebri Turner, Brian Miller, Necole Fantt and Margaret Kelly. Photo by J.W. Cathcart.

June McLaughlin prepares pigs feet for a customer. Photo by Shelley Smith, Salisbury Post.

June McLaughlin looks over a 1936 Salisbury Evening Post, comparing prices for groceries, homes and cars. Photo by Shelley Smith, Salisbury Post.

Albert Shaver picks up a bottle of laundry detergent from McLaughlin's Grocery. Photo by Shelley Smith.

Daniel Vaughters picks up a pack of smokes. Photo by Shelley Smith, Salisbury Post.

By Shelley Smithssmith@salisburypost.com

Two of Salisbury's oldest businesses were honored during the Our Community Appreciation Awards: McLaughlin's Grocery and Frankie's Chicken Shack.

McLaughlin's Grocery began in 1934 during the Depression, originally opening under Lash Scott, who sold the business to Jim Scott. Scott ran the store until it was leased to June McLaughlin's mother in 1958, and it has been McLaughlin's Grocery ever since.

"I started working for Jim Scott, delivering groceries, when I was 12 years old," McLaughlin said. "I got about $2 a week when I started, and by my freshman year in high school I was receiving $8 a week."

McLaughlin grew up right around the corner from the grocery store, and he worked there until he went into the military in 1956. He moved back home in 1961 to help his mother.

"I was probably a better soldier than I was a grocery man," McLaughlin said, "but I have no regrets. It's been good.

"I enjoy the community. They've been loving and caring.

McLaughlin's Grocery is one of the last of its kind in Rowan County.

"The health guy came in the other day and said that when he began inspections in the area, there were 18 stores," McLaughlin said. "I'm the last one left."

McLaughlin allows customers to run accounts at the store. Maggie Leazer had one until she was 103 years old. Most of his account customers have been customers for more than 25 years.

"Over time, clientele changes," McLaughlin said. He noted that in the past, customers came for yeast or sugar. Now they come for the convenience items.

McLaughlin has seen that time changes everything, especially prices.

"At one time I bought veal for 49 cents per pound, and now it's $3.99 per pound," McLaughlin said. He still has a large selection of meat, pork and chicken products.

"Pork products have always been popular here," he said, adding that he "runs through" a lot of feet and chitlins.

McLaughlin said the chains have hurt independent businesses.

"The big chains used to close at 6 p.m., and now the chains stay open," he said. "That money is not there for us anymore.

"It's harder to make a dollar now because of overhead and insurance each year. It never gets any better."

McLaughlin said at one time the closest grocery store was at the Ketner Center.

"Every 16-year-old has an automobile now," he said. "Everything is about convenience.

"It's just a dying breed. We've been lucky to exist as long as we have."

McLaughlin said Our Community Appreciation Awards were "one of the best things that's happened to the black community."

"It's something that's really needed," he said. "It was an honor to be recognized. Someone else could have easily been picked. It was really nice."

Another business honored by OCAA was Frankie's Chicken Shack.

Frankie's was started in the basement home of Benjamin Franklin Curaton Sr. and his wife, Nannie Stevenson Curaton. The two met in church choir at Soldier's Memorial Church, and decided to start a business in 1942. The business closed in April of 2004.

"The sauce was the life, the heartbeat of the business," said Linda Dillard, daughter of Benjamin and Nannie Curaton. She was part of the business since she was 14.

Dillard and her brother, Benjamin Curaton Jr., grew up with their other brothers and sisters in the kitchen, never leaving, even on their days off.

"It's all we've ever known," Dillard said.

"I spent many nights talking with my father about his life and love of cooking," Curaton said. "He worked for a big restaurant in Charlotte where he got his big vision.

"Our mother and father both put their hands in the recipe, though."

People have eaten Frankie's Chicken Shack food all over the world.

"The chicken has been overseas twice, to Germany and Vietnam," Curaton said. "One time, Livingstone students who had moved to New York City wanted it so badly, they collected enough money to pay one of them to fly down for the day and take it back."

"It was still warm when he got back to New York," Dillard said. "It's not a taste that you find anywhere."

Duke Ellington and Grace Kelly's father have sampled Frankie's chicken.

"It makes you feel proud to be part of something that has that longevity," Dillard said. "I tell people I'm like Tina Turner — she just needed her hair, and I just need my sauce."

Curaton and Dillard want to see Frankie's Chicken Shack back in Salisbury.

"It's hard for mom and pops to survive," she said. "We keep corporate going, but small business is what really keeps the economy going. It's been hard."

Dillard hopes someone will invest in the restaurant.

"We have the wheel, we just need someone to roll it," she said. "We need good investors and then it's a done deal."

"The history is so rich," Curaton said. "Clearly it needs to come back, and it would be better than ever."

On the OCAA, Dillard and Curaton really appreciate coordinator Brian Miller for reaching out and doing something for the black community.

"This is historical Salisbury," Dillard said. "We should be an all-inclusive town. Great things have occurred that were not acknowledged."

"Our parents would have been so very, very proud," Curaton said.

Miller called the first OCAA awards and show, held in November, a successful event that went very well.

"It was excellent, and everyone really enjoyed it," Miller said. "Everyone loved the entertainment, the red carpet and taking pictures.

"We just wanted to make people aware of people in the community who did great things and are still doing great things."

Five recipients earned Lifetime Achievement Awards.

"A couple of them have known me all my life," Miller said. "It was a pleasure to be able to recognize them, and for them to see me doing something like this."

Miller's favorite part was seeing everyone enjoying themselves.

"To see everyone sitting together and having fun with no problems, and to see everyone dressed to impress, it was really nice," he said. "People said this was something that was needed. They appreciate me having the vision to put it together, and a lot of people are looking forward to next year."

The OCAA Web site is www.ocaa.biz.

The OCAA winners from the 2009 OCAA Show: n Best Dressed, Buddy Glenn. n Best Barber Shop, Ted's Barbershop. n Best Beauty Shop, Shear Magic. n Best Entrepreneur, Richard Robbins, The Smell Factory. n Best Church, Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist. n Best Choir, Gethsemane Men's Choir. n Best Athlete, Kionte Rankin, Salisbury High School. n Best Cook, Danny Teasley. n Best Community Leader, Sherry Hawthorne. n Best Organization, North Rowan Connection. n Best Social Club, The Diamond Divas. n Best Car, Willie Dalton. n Best DJ, Alicia Barber.