The Jones Store cafe is pictured on a post card published early in the century by Valentine Souvenir Co. of New York. The dining tables in the cafe, on the third floor of the store at 12th and Main, were covered with white linen tablecloths, and glass shaded gas-lighted chandeliers hung overhead. Customers were still traveling to Jones by horse and buggy, as well as by street car, at the time. Horses were tied to rings at the curb, installed along downtown streets for the convenience of shoppers. Appetites were hearty, especially after a drive of some distance on a brisk fall day. Meals at the cafe were ample. The menu included vegetable soup, roasts, mashed potatoes and gravy, vegetables, cabbage slaw, hot homemade breads and apple pie. The check often was no more than 75 cents. The Jones Store, founded by J. Logan Jones and his wife in 1887 in a small frame building at Stafford, Kan., progressed to a brick store, called the Cyclone, in Stafford. Later the name was changed to Jones & Co. Groceries were always a big part of the store's sales. In 1890 a move was made to Kansas City, Kansas, and in 1895 the biggest move of all, across the river to 6th and Main. The big corner store at 12th and Main (seven stories including basement) was built and occupied in 1895. It was the city's largest department store. Groceries were still a big item, as well as coal oil, bedding, hardware, and clothing and shoe needs for the family. Employees in 1902 ranged from 700 during the quiet period to 1,200 during the busy season. Kansas City Times, October 29, 1982.
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