Turner Grocery
Kohrs Block, 330-334 Fuller Ave.


COURTESY OF THE COLLECTION OF GENE MAUK
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"Between Minneapolis and the coast, there is not a finer grocery store than that which has been assembled by Frank Turner on this corner." -- Helena Independent, Feb. 17, 1907

Franklin Kendrick Turner (1855-1921) was a native of Birmingham, England. As the 1906 biography below says, he came ot Helena in 1881. He was in the grocery business until retiring in 1918.

Only one person in the 1914 photograph above has been identified, but only tentatively. The man second from the left, behind the counter, is possibly Hugh Mauk, who worked at the store for a time.

It's likely that one of the men is Frank Turner. I was unable to find a verifiable photo of him.



Kohrs Block, c.1910


COURTESY OF THE WES AND CAROL SYNNESS COLECTION

Turner's grocery was located in the street-level space, on the turreted corner of the new Kohrs Block. Expansive awnings helped beat the summer heat.


 

Young Daughter Dies
in Sledding Accident

Little Elizabeth Turner died at St. Peter's Hospital from sepsis, following a laceration of her groin, suffered while sledding on Holter St., then named Spruce St.



1917 Flour Kerfuffle

A public squabble developed between Frank Turner and the Helena Independent newspaper in 1917. The Independent reported that flour was selling for much less in Great Falls than in Helena, even after taking shipping costs into consideration. Price-gouging and price-fixing were hinted at.

This report did not sit well with Turner, who protested by moving his advertising from the Independent to the Record-Herald. In response, the Independed ran at least three "open letters" to Turner, explaining their stand.

A look at the online newspaper archives shows that Turner kept his advertising at the Record-Herald until he retired in 1919.


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Retiring

Franklin Turner suffered a stroke in 1916 or 17, and another in 1921, which proved fatal. He died at home, 520 Madison Avenue, and is buried at Forestvale.

The Kohrs Block location remained a grocery store, under several owners, until 1932. It appears that it was a Kelvinator appliance store for a time, then was converted to office space.

In 1960, the brick façade of the building was covered in "modern" metal sheathing in an attempt to update its look. It was renamed the Professional Building at that time. The sheathing has since been removed.