Rigsby Brothers’ Garage
Celebrates Fifty Years In Business
Written by: The Merkle Rigsby Family  -  10/15/2006

In 1956, a stamp cost three cents, the New York Yankees beat the Brooklyn Dodgers in the World Series, Elvis Presley sang ‘Heartbreak Hotel’, and three brothers started a grocery and garage business in Allisona, Tennessee that is still in operation today. The brothers were J.W., Jesse, and Merkle Rigsby who, with their wives, Lorene, Mary, and Betty, opened Rigsby Brothers’ in October of 1956. J.W. and Jesse, the two eldest, had previously owned a local bulldozing business, Rigsby Bros. Construction, since 1951. When they heard that Mr. Audie Simmons was selling his store on Hwy. 31 in Allisona, they took advantage of the opportunity to go into business with their youngest brother, Merkle, and bought the outfit on October 4th, 1956. The only merchandise included in the sale of the store/garage was one new tire, which became one of their first sales when it was sold to Jesse Pruitt.

Merkle on the telephone, and the regulars playing cards, was a typical day, before the store closed.

Before moving back to the Allisona area, Merkle and Betty had lived in Nashville where they were both employed. Betty especially loved her job at the telephone company. They also had an infant son, Doug, who was only a few weeks old when they chose to move back to the country and start the family business with Merkle’s brothers. Doug, along with his cousins Margaret Ann, David, Michelle, Junior, and Karen, grew up with the store as their second home. Doug remembers watching with his cousins for the first watermelon truck of the summer to come up the highway from Alabama each year. In the hot summers, the kids would sometimes sneak away and go fishing in the creek behind the store. In 1964, Jesse and Mary had their third child, Steve, and in 1965 Betty and Merkle had another son, Alan. The two later followed in the footsteps of the older Rigsby children, working in the store and garage. Over the years, many grandchildren, nieces, and nephews spent time working in either the store or garage.

Merkle & Betty Rigsby-Oct. 1998

From the beginning Rigsby Bros. was an all-inclusive business, functioning as a Post Office, general store, grocery and deli, and full service gas station. Many customers would pull up to the gas pumps, ask for two dollars (or less) worth of gas, bologna sandwiches, cheese and crackers and a cold drink, without ever leaving their vehicle. The store sold everything from groceries, produce, shoes, nails, and fabric to feed and pesticides. Saturday was especially busy with many people buying a large part of the groceries or goods they would need for the coming week. Everyone worked long hard hours during this busiest era, usually from sunup to sundown year round. Merkle ran the garage while the wives took turns working in the store, and J.W. and Jesse spent most of their time doing dozer work. Saturday night was a time to get together with friends and customers and play card games, with the all time favorite in those days being Pedro. The men would gather in the back of the store and play for hours most Saturday nights, giving everyone the chance to talk, tell stories and relax after a hard week. They always kept the business open six days a week and continue that tradition today.

The store in 1959, when you could purchase gas and receive Valu-Plus Stamps.

From the start, Rigsby Bros. accepted any challenge presented to them by customers, and the range of projects taken on was unlimited. They worked on cars, trucks, tractors and other farm equipment, lawnmowers, and more. Sometimes they were asked to go beyond the normal duties of mechanics like the time one of the Clarkson children got stuck in a cooler. When they brought him to the garage and asked Merkle to cut him out of the cooler, Merkle told them to hang on while he went to get the proper tools. He returned with a can of oil and poured it all around the little boy, and within moments they were able to slide him out unharmed. Another time they received a service call request from a wife whose husband was stuck in the mud. When Merkle asked what he was driving that got stuck, she said, "No. He’s not driving anything. He is stuck in the mud." The elderly man had fallen forward into the deep mud of a cowfield and needed assistance. Merkle went and helped the man out free of charge.

Pictured in the store in 1992 is Sal Tucker, Clarence Graham, Leon Reed, Warner Potter, Merkle Rigsby and John Beard.

With the start of zip codes the Post Office was moved out of the store and into an official location. Times began to change, and Rigsby Bros., a gathering place in a farming community where the tallest tobacco stalk of the season was put on display next to the front door, began to change too. Several changes took place during the 70’s and 80’s with the biggest being J.W. and Lorene retiring in 1985, and J.W.’s passing in 1986. The bulldozers were sold, and the store and garage continued operating. Then in 1991, Jesse and Mary retired. Merkle and Betty continued to run the business on their own and later with the help of their grandson, Paul. Like many men in the family, Paul learned the trade of his grandfather in the garage, starting at an early age. He worked as a mechanic for several years before he left for the police academy to pursue the career he had always wanted.

Having Prayer Meeting - John Beard preaching to Jesse, Raymond, Merkle, Paul Hill, Scott, James and Dennis.

In recent years the business has downsized. In 1990, after selling Shell gas for thirty-five years they decided to quit selling gas and focus on the garage. After Betty suffered health problems in 2002, the store part of the business was officially closed. Although, Betty still remains active in the business with accounting duties and making trips to get needed parts for Merkle’s projects in the garage. Merkle remains busy in the garage and intends to keep it open part-time as long as he is able. Several friends and neighbors stop in everyday for coffee and games of Skip-Bo. Even though Jesse has been retired for several years it is a rare day that he is not found visiting at the garage. Jesse’s wife Mary passed away in 2005 after a long illness. Sadly, many friends of Rigsby Bros. have also passed away during the past fifty years in business.

The fifty years have seen three generations of some families come in the store. Many children who grew up coming in to get a cold drink or ice cream later brought their own children in to do the same. Betty and Merkle have always had lots of trick-or-treaters at Halloween. Many parents who have fond childhood memories of visiting the store and its owners make a special trip to bring their kids to see Miss Betty. To get an idea of how many strong bonds have been built through the store all one has to do is take a look at the vast collage of pictures on the back wall of the store. Christmas cards, graduation pictures, wedding announcements, and snapshots sent from all over adorn the wall filling the store with a warm friendly atmosphere.

Rigsby Bros. has stayed in business for fifty years now thanks to the same spirit of hard work and dedication with which the three brothers opened it. The long-standing success would not have been possible without the help of family, friends, customers, neighbors, and business associates throughout the years. To show our appreciation for all those involved and to celebrate this milestone Betty and Merkle will be hosting an open house on Saturday October 7th from 10-4. Come celebrate with us and bring a memory, a story, or a picture from the past to share.

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