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Resource Number: 5BL 8029
<br />Temporary Resource Number: 157508415011
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<br />This sign advertised the store's groceries, meats, imported Italian products, notions, shoes, and infants' apparel. In a
<br />possible reference to the store's name, its telephone number was "40," as shown on this sign.
<br />The 2000 survey record written about this house stated that this building "was initially owned by Lawton and Nellie
<br />McCorkle who ran a general store here" from about 1906 to 1908. This does not appear to be correct, as evidence of
<br />this was not located in the course of research conducted for this report. Information at the Louisville Historical
<br />Museum indicates that Lewton McCorkle operated other stores in Louisville, but not at this location. Also, no
<br />evidence was found that Lewton and Nellie McCorkle were ever owners of this property, based on a search of the
<br />County property documents and based on the Massaro family owning this property prior to Michael Forte owning it.
<br />According to archival records located at the Louisville Historical Museum, Lewton McCorkle did start a grocery store
<br />just to the east of this property, at Main and Walnut, in 1906. This was the City Meat and Packing Co., which evolved
<br />into the City Market and Grocery. Perhaps it was the initial location of McCorkle's store in a different location on
<br />Walnut that initially led to the conclusion in the 2000 survey report, which appears to have been based on information
<br />in Carolyn Conarroe's book The Louisville Story, that McCorkle owned 804 Walnut and located his store there.
<br />Giuseppe Massaro passed away in 1915, while Eufrasina DiGiacomo Massaro died in 1926. Michael Forte's wife,
<br />Ora Massaro Forte, died in 1937. Also in 1937, Michael Forte sold 804 Walnut and moved to Denver. He died in
<br />1968.
<br />The new owners, who were Minnie Tate and Mary Lippis and who were connected to the Lippis family of Louisville,
<br />continued to operate a grocery store at this location. It is believed that it was early during this period of ownership
<br />that Marie Merciez and her daughter and son-in-law, Alice and Nestor Soupley, operated this store. Marie Merciez's
<br />daughter, Edith Chiolino, lived with her family at 729 La Farge (5BL7981) in Jefferson Place. Marie's granddaughter,
<br />Lois Chiolino Tesone, has recalled that her aunt and uncle, Alice and Nestor Soupley, lived in the cottage behind the
<br />store. In the early 1940s, Benjamin and Mary Lippis and their son, Frank, who served in World War II, are listed as
<br />living at 802 Walnut, which is believed to be this building despite the variation in the address, in light of the fact that
<br />Mary Lippis was one of the owners of the building.
<br />In 1943, 804 Walnut was purchased by the Pillar of Fire Church. The Pillar of Fire Church first appears in the 1945
<br />directory as being located here, and it was presumably open for services at that time. The Church's pastor in the
<br />1950s, David Ruby, passed away in 2008.
<br />In 1972, after nearly 30 years of ownership by the Pillar of Fire Church, 804 Walnut was purchased by the current
<br />owner, Jeremiah Whitney. Property records indicate that in the early 2000s, there was an adjustment that resulted in
<br />a change to the legal description of 804 Walnut so that it now includes part of Lot 24 to the south.
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