John's Furniture (Closed)
Globe, AZ
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

The John’s Furniture sign was already looking a little tired when this photo was taken in 1999. Its faded lettering and weathered storefront had the well-used appearance of a longtime neighborhood business along Globe’s Broad Street. 06-23

John’s Furniture & Floor Covering reportedly traced its roots back to 1924, making it one of Globe’s older hometown businesses. Operated by generations of the Oddonetto family, the store supplied furniture and flooring while plenty of neighboring businesses came and went.

Parts of the family’s downtown property had other uses over the years, including an auto-parts store and the Carrow Motor Company GMC dealership. One nearby warehouse even retained old flood marks left by storms decades apart, a sort of unofficial high-water history written directly onto the building.

UPDATE: John’s Furniture & Floor Covering is permanently closed. The building remains, but the old storefront lettering seen in 1999 has been removed. 09-26

Paul's Jewelers (Closed)
Douglas, AZ
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

The Paul’s Jewelers storefront has the look of an old-fashioned downtown jewelry shop, complete with display windows made for a little sidewalk window-shopping. Paul Whelan started the family business in 1947, and his son Fred was only a year old at the time. 06-23

Paul’s moved to G Avenue in 1961. When a bank purchased that building, Fred and his wife Connie crossed the street and combined two storefronts inside the old Masonic Lodge building. The new shop opened in September 1967 and remained there for nearly five decades. The Masonic building itself dates back to 1907, adding another layer of history to the storefront.

After 67½ years in business, Fred and Connie announced that it was finally time to retire. Paul’s Jewelers closed on June 30, 2015, ending a long run that had included generations of Douglas residents shopping for wedding rings, watches, and special gifts.

UPDATE: Daniel’s Jewelers opened in the former Paul’s location in October 2015. The old Paul’s signs were removed, but the historic Masonic Lodge building and its ground-floor storefront remain. 09-26

Coleman's Men's Shop (Closed)
Douglas, AZ
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

The Coleman’s Men’s Shop storefront was another reminder of the days when downtown Douglas had its own collection of locally owned clothing and specialty stores. Located just a few doors from Paul’s Jewelers, Coleman’s was an old-fashioned mom-and-pop shop where generations of customers could stop in for men’s clothing without heading to a mall or big-box store. 06-23

The shop sat along G Avenue in the heart of the Douglas Historic District. Not much has surfaced about when the Coleman family first opened the business, but it remained part of the downtown commercial strip for many years. Together with Paul’s Jewelers and the other neighboring storefronts, it gave this block the feel of a classic small-town shopping district.

Coleman’s Men’s Shop finally closed in 2016, just a year after Paul’s Jewelers retired from the same block. Two longtime Douglas businesses gone within a year was quite a change for this little stretch of G Avenue.

UPDATE: Coleman’s Men’s Shop remains closed, and its old storefront sign has been removed. The former shop space survives, although it is no longer operating as a men’s clothing store. 09-26

Ron's Market (Closed)
Buckeye, AZ
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

The Ron’s Market storefront had the comfortable look of an old neighborhood grocery store, the kind of place where regular customers probably knew everyone behind the counter. The building dates back to around 1930 and features a few Art Deco touches, including smooth stucco walls and raised details along the roofline. 06-23

Before becoming Ron’s Market, the building reportedly housed a Yellow Front store, part of the old Arizona chain that sold everything from work clothes and camping gear to military surplus and automotive supplies.

UPDATE: Ron’s Market has closed, but the old building remains standing and was later repurposed for a Dollar General store. The Ron’s Market sign has been removed. 09-26

Pay Less Market (Closed)
Buckeye, AZ
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

The Pay Less Market building has been watching over downtown Buckeye since 1909. When this photo was taken in 1999, the old brick walls still carried a large painted sign advertising Pay Less Market Groceries and Meats. 06-23

The building served more than one purpose over the years. One section housed a hotel known as Harvey’s Place, while the street-level market supplied local shoppers with groceries. A faded Holsum Bread advertisement also survives on the wall, reminding everyone not to just say bread, but to say Holsum.

UPDATE: The old Pay Less Market and hotel building remains standing but has been vacant and boarded up for many years. Its weathered painted advertisements can still be seen across the brick exterior. 09-26

Del Sol Market
Yuma, AZ
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

The Del Sol Market has been a familiar part of Yuma for decades. This neighborhood grocery store offers more than the usual shelves of food, with its own carnicería, bakery, and plenty of local flavor packed inside. 06-23

One of the specialties is Doña Lupe corn and flour tortillas, made fresh on a conveyor line at the market. There is something reassuring about picking up tortillas that have not traveled nearly as far as the shopper.

UPDATE: Del Sol Market remains in business and has expanded to several locations around Yuma. The longtime Fourth Avenue market and its familiar Del Sol signage continue to serve the community. 09-26

Crest Color TV (Gone)
Tucson, AZ
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

The Crest Color TV storefront is a flashback to the days when a broken television meant calling the local repair shop instead of ordering a new one. Shops like this kept picture tubes glowing, replaced mysterious components, and sometimes made house calls to wrestle with those enormous wooden console sets. 06-23

The old sign still advertised color television repair, but the For Sale notice suggested that Crest had already fixed its final fuzzy picture. With flat screens taking over and repair shops disappearing, the storefront had become a roadside relic almost without trying.

UPDATE: Crest Color TV is permanently closed, and its old storefront sign has been removed. The exact location and fate of the building remain uncertain. 09-26

Douglas Discount (Gone)
Douglas, AZ
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

The Douglas Discount sign has the look of an old neighborhood variety store, the kind of place where clothing, shoes, and household odds and ends might all share the same aisle. Its big, straightforward lettering made sure nobody passing along G Avenue missed the promise of a bargain. 06-23

Douglas Discount served the border community for years as an independent alternative to the larger chain stores. Little has surfaced about Mull history of the business, and old directories list more than one G Avenue address, suggesting the store may have moved at some point.

UPDATE: Douglas Discount is no longer operating in its old form. The storefront building appears to have been repurposed, while the vintage sign seen here has been removed. 09-26