Rainier Oregon Historical Museum
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Mathers' Grocery
1923-1954
Brusco Grocery
1954-1961
Brusco's No. 1
1961-1963


Francis (Frank) and Frances Mathers opened their grocery store and filling station in December 1923. It was located in the west end of Rainier in an area known as Kentucky Flats. It sat on the north side of old highway 30 (West B Street) almost centered between West 11th and West 12th Streets that connected to the highway on the south side. Francis passed away on March 10, 1947 and Frances sold the store to Jack Brusco on October 15, 1954. Jack continued selling groceries at that location as the Brusco Grocery. A year later Frances sold her house to Jack and moved into a house across the street. Frances passed away on March 29, 1964. On October 30, 1961 Jack bought the Gabrielson's Grocery Store that was located on the north side of Highway 30 (West B Street) opposite where West 4th Street connects to the highway. Jack renamed the former Mathers store as Brusco's No. 1 and the newly bought Gabrielson store as Brusco's No. 2. On June 20, 1963 Jack closed Brusco's No. 1 and continued his grocery business at the former Gabrielson store as Brusco Grocery. It is not known if the Mathers store building was ever used again. As of May 2020 the location of where the Mathers house and store once stood is now an empty lot.
Image
Description
November 1923 - Francis (Frank) and Frances Mathers open grocery store and filling station.

From the November 30, 1923 issue of the Rainier (Oregon) Review.
March 1947 - Francis (Frank) Mathers passes away.

From the March 13, 1947 issue of the Rainier (Oregon) Reveiw.
November 1949 - Frances Mathers Victim of Hold-Up

From the November 24, 1949 issue of the Rainier (Oregon) Reveiw.
October 1954 - Jack Brusco Buys Mathers Store.

From the October 21, 1954 issue of the Rainier (Oregon) Reveiw.
June 1963 - Jack Brusco closes old Mathers store.

From the June 20, 1963 issue of the Rainier (Oregon) Reveiw.
April 1964 - Frances Mathers passes away.

From the April 2, 1964 issue of the Rainier (Oregon) Reveiw.

Marjorie (Lepin) Clark's memory of the Mathers Store:

Marjorie (Lepin) Clark's father James Lepin built his house in the 1920s in the west end of Kentucky flats on the north side of old Highway 30 (West B Street). It was almost directly across (a little bit to the east of) where West 12th Street connects to the highway. She was born in this house on September 13, 1929. To the east of their house lived James Marshall and Dephera Ingold and their family (*). Mathers house and their store were to the east of the Ingold house. The Mather house sat back from the road while their store, to the east, sat at the edge of the highway. The store had a front door centered between two windows. The store had a side door (on the west side) that lead down a few steps to a concrete walk that ran between the two buildings to the back of the Mather's house, where steps lead down to a basement entrance. The Mather's front porch was across from the store side door that was reached going up a few steps from the sidewalk. There was also a concrete walk from the highway to the porch. Marjorie worked there in 1947 from spring until about August. She was newly married the year before at age 16.

(*) Marshall and Dephera Ingold's son Lester Ingold owned and operated the Chevron Station for 15 years.
Click on Links for additional information:

        Francis Mathers

        Frances Orilla Messenger Mathers

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