Here are some memories of the Zurcher Building from long-time Marceline residents:
Quintine Cupp – Yes, Jack and I did get our first set of wedding rings in September of 1967 although I no longer wear that set I still have them!
Belinda Passig – I purchased this Minnie Mouse watch with my very first paycheck from my after school job…which was working at the Marceline Press.
Tammy Yates Baker – When I was young I got a charm bracelet with charms.
Georgia Smith – In the 50’s he sold musical instruments and I bought my reeds for my clarinet.
Martin Herriman – Class ring.
Jerry Vaughan – I bought my railroad watch there in the mid 60’s and gave $100 for it.
Blanche Whisenand – I bought my class ring there.
Susie K. Johnson – We bought our first color RCA tv from there. Sometime in the middle 1960’s.
Joann Mott – The first ever Christmas gift from my husband, Cecil Mott, in 1966.
Lois Rodgers – My husband “Dude” bought my wedding set of rings in 1960 at Zurcher’s.
Patty Eitel – My great aunt bought a set of drinking water goblets for a wedding present for me 64 years ago. I still have them.
Cheri Hunt – I remember going there on “Peanut Night“ as a kid and buying one of their Grab bags!
Dorothy Cordray Wilson – My Dad always had his good pocket watch cleaned and repaired there by Mr Zurcher.
Geneda Ruth Roberts Schwanke – I got my first watch there when I was a kid and my uncle Paul took me there and got me a little heart shape necklace. I still have it.
Dorothy Swenson Haynes – Alan bought my wedding rings there in 1961.
Sam Bailey – I remember old folks living in the building behind Zurchers where the coke sign was hidden. Mostly they would sit in the window looking out.
Tom Thornton – Cindy bought my wedding ring there in 1971.
Pete Biggs – In the ‘50 the Biggs children were given some money by their father to buy their mom, Margaret, a Christmas gift. One particular Christmas I remember Mary Lou, John and I went to Zurchers for help. We pooled our money to buy mom a turquoise necklace. It was a suggestion from Mr. Zurcher. I suspect it may have been something our dad had picked out and gave us the credit.
Kathy Bezoni – Cecil and I bought our wedding rings there in 1965. Here’s mine. Cecil lost his in the Current River a long time ago.
John Wright – It was one of the only places in town to buy 33 1/3 rock and roll records in the early 1950s.
Carol Stapleton – I bought my first record player there and paid for it at the rate of $1 each week.
Cindy Cordray – I didn’t buy anything,(I don’t think) because I was just a little girl when Zurchers had their jewelry store there. I do remember going inside the store with my parents. I’m sure they bought something from him though. I also remember what Mr. Zurcher looked like.
Richard Peck – My girl friends bought me a set of frosted glasses there for my 16th birthday. My brother, Bobby bought my Mom several Hummels there. I have 2 August birthstone rings purchased there by my parents. 1958 One was for my Mom and the other for me. Patsy Oliver Peck, Class of ’57.
Barbara Burch Brewer – Larry and I bought our wedding rings there in 1966! And I bought Larry a black onyx ring for his 21st birthday. Love the memories .
Betty Bell – I bought clarinet reeds
Lineus Berry – About 1959 I had a girlfriend named Marlyn Machen and I bought her a necklace there for Christmas. Think it was about $5 and I only had $2.50 so Mr. Zurcher let me have it on credit. I forgot all about it and never did pay him. When I remembered I was too embarrassed to go by the store window, so for a while when I walked home, I went around to Howell street to dodge him. Made up for it as later bought a Bulovia watch from him that I still have. Also bought engagement ring for Janie Hayes with monthly payments while in college. Her mother had to finish paying that off as we were starving students down at Rolla. Poignant memory though is the smell of cigar smoke when you walked by the open door on a summer day headed for home. Guess I need to send the restoration fund that $2.50 I’ve owed for 60 years with interest. Amount with interest now after 60 years might pay for the whole restoration.
Katy Cupp Delaney – My Dad bought my watch for 8th grade graduation from Zurchers and I got my class ring from there.
Carolyn Schumacher – I bought my class ring from Zurchers. My brother bought my graduation present there also. Remember many visits there through years. 45 record player was purchased from them and classical records.
Sharon Dorrell – Bought my class ring there. Dennis also bought my wedding rings there. Married 50 years in July! Still in really good shape!
Glenda Zoe Tolliver – My dad bought a set of fine dining silverware there for their 25th wedding anniversary. It came in a beautiful wood chest with Zurchers engraved on it. My niece (Mom’s granddaughter) has it now.
Deborah Powell – Daryl Cohoon and I bought our wedding rings there. I think I got my first pair of self piercing earrings and I think I had him engraved initial ring.
Donald Pollard – We got our rings from Glenn Maxwell in 1965. Got watches cleaned at Zurcher’s.
Inez Johnson – My husband, Rush and I moved to Marceline in 1948 where Rush found employment. We raised our 2 children here. We met, Frances Zurcher Washam, who was a dedicated teacher of special needs children in the Marceline school district. Through her friendship we became acquainted with the entire Albert Zurcher family. There were 6 children, all with college degrees.
The Zurcher building is located on the corner of Main St and Ritchie Ave. Albert was appointed to be the Santa Fe railway time inspector. He was an optometrist. They lived above the store. Helen, Albert’s wife, sold jewelry, gifts, fine china and silver. They had 1 one employee.
Christmas season found many shoppers enjoying their beautiful window displays with hope of finding a gift under their tree. The Zurchers were the first to pre-wrap gifts.
My daughter Kaye and I purchased our sterling flatware from Zurchers. We chose the “Romance of the Sea” pattern.
My best memory of Albert and Helen is seeing them walk arm-in-arm through E.P. Ripley Park after closing time. The park served as the Zurcher’s “front yard”.
P.S. The Zurcher family never owned a car.
Lineus Berry – Noticed the sign hanging off the front of the building advertising “Victrolas” believe that was one of the first record players.
Andy Lineberry – I bought my first harmonica from there. Still can’t play 55 years later. Mom used to get a post card from them when they went to Switzerland.