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931 Park Street

Site of Baker's Grocery Store

In 1926, Ukrainian immigrant Clara Kligerman Baker (1892-1969) opened a small grocery store in a section of the city's Ward One neighborhood, which was densely populated with African American laborers living in shotgun-style houses. Her entrepreneurial husband, Frank (1884-1941), invented a speaker system of wires and metal plates that provided music and radio broadcasts within a four-block radius for residents who paid 25 cents per week for his unique invention. Daughter Toby recalled the store as a 'marvelous hodgepodge- a meat market, pharmacy, grocery store, mercantile establishment and unofficial community center.' In 1967, Clara sold her store and contents to Oscar Shealy, an African American employee of 20 years, who then continued to operate the neighborhood landmark as Baker's Grocery until it was demolished by 1970 due to urban renewal.

  • Bakers Grocery

    Baker's Grocery. Image courtesy Frank Baker

John Baker remembers his grandmother, Clara Kligerman Baker, and the family’s relationship with John Archie Bell, a resident of the Ward One community.

33.9966802, -81.0358459

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Historic Columbia

© 2023 Historic Columbia

Administrative Offices
1601 Richland Street
Columbia, SC 29201

Tours
All historic house and garden tours start at the Gift Shop at Robert Mills.
1616 Blanding Street
Columbia, SC 29201

Questions? Call (803) 252-7742.

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