Dear Editor:

That was a fine article in the Sept. 29 Register (“From pickle barrels to the ‘Spillings gentleman’”). Liz Evans has done a great job preserving and updating the building.

Just want to add a little information to the article. Doug and Stella Hodgdon bought the store in 1950 from Lawrence Farmer and his wife Gwen. My mom worked there and Lawrence mentioned he would like to sell. My Dad was a fisherman and worked as a carpenter at Goudy & Stevens winters. He was diagnosed with MS and needed an easier job. The Farmers took our house as part of the payment and a deal was made. The store became Hodgdon’s Market.

I started work there at age 13, mostly stocking the shelves. MS takes your life away very slowly, losing control a bit at a time. My dad fought hard but finally called it quits in 1967 and sold the store to the Callnan famil.

After I got my driver’s license (1953), we started a delivery service on Saturdays – covered Back Narrows, Bayville to Ocean Point. Things were different then – many wives stayed home, did a lot of cooking, especially those with large families. We sold 25-pound bags of flour, 10-pound bags of sugar, canned goods by the case, salted dried pollock, smoked alewives (eight on a stick), and 50-pound bags of potatoes.

I joined the Army in 1956-1959 and Dennis Rice took over my duties. It worked out great. Upon my return in 1959, I told my parents I would stay until they could sell. It took longer than I thought!

John Hodgdon

East Boothbay