AT&N Railroad - Geiger, AL, MP 44 - The Yellow Front Store

The town of Geiger was incorporated in 1912. W.L. Waller and John H. Pinson, who married sisters of the Geiger family, planned and created Geiger around the A. T. and N. Railroad, which came through the area in 1909. Skillful and colorful promotions went into the development of the town.

One of the biggest promotions was the drawing for free lots and farms. The town grew very fast. A block of brick stores was built, and, soon after, the town had a post office, church, bank, hotel, livery stable, bottling works, brick kiln, barber shop, newspaper (The Geiger Times), cotton gin, sawmill, three doctors, and a drug store.

Yellow Front Store No. 1 was built in 1911, and developed into a West Alabama chain.
Source - http://www.toursumtercounty.com/sumter-county-towns/geiger-alabama/

From 1946-1966, my paternal grandfather was a store manager for the Yellow Front Store chain (Not to be confused with the Yellow Front chain of Phoenix, AZ). The first store he was sent to was on the verge of closure due to decreased business. He made changes and, after a few weeks, he had the store's business booming again. Once the owners realized what my grandfather could do for a struggling store's business, they moved him from one struggling store to another, to another.

The last Yellow Front Store he managed was the one in Sulligent, AL. He was sent to Sulligent in 1964. After 55 years, the Yellow Front Store chain was sold. My grandfather was offered and accepted the manager's position of a locally owned grocery store after 20 years with the Yellow Front Store chain. My grandparents settled in Sulligent. My dad met my mother from nearby Vernon, AL. They got married, settled in Sulligent, and the rest is history.

When I came across the history of Geiger, I thought, if it hadn't been for the construction of the AT&N, Geiger may have never been incorporated, The Yellow Front Store may have never been started, and my grandparents/dad may have never moved to Sulligent. If it hadn't been for the AT&N, my parents may have never met.

Brandon