Thomas Judd Store

The beginnings of the Judd family's foray into storekeeping is described in the Clio entry for the Thomas Judd House (now relocated to stand behind the Thomas Judd Store). Responsibility for the family's general store passed to Thomas Judd Sr.'s son, Joseph, who built a home for his family just steps from the store, at the corner of West Tabernacle and 100 West Streets. The bungalow was constructed around 1917 in the up-to-date Prairie School style and fashionable yellow brick. The interior was carefully detailed in the Arts and Crafts style. A screened porch and room in the back of the house was the home of Joseph's son, Thomas Judd II, who worked at Judd's Store from his early childhood until his retirement in the 1980s.

The Judd family sold the store to Dr. Mark and Barbara Greene in 1982. The Greenes saved the building after the city tried to have it demolished to make way for a parking lot. Instead, the store became part of a collection of wayward historic buildings on a block of land fronting the northeast corner of the West Tabernacle and 100 West Streets intersection. A preservation easement was granted to the Utah Heritage Foundation (now Preservation Utah). The Greenes sold the store to Ed and Lindy Sandstrom. In 2016, a couple originally from Canada, Jared and Rebecca Gulbranson, bought Judd's Store from the Sandstroms. Joseph Judd's home, the Judd Bungalow, is part of the block and was converted into a doctor's office in the front with a residence in the back.

Judd's Store became a favorite of the schoolchildren who attended Woodward School, directly across the street from the store. One of those former schoolkids, Jeffery Holland, grew up to become president of Brigham Young University in Salt Lake City. Another, who favored the store's candy cigarette and Pepsi, has become the store's manager now. The store became embroiled in a controversy when the neighboring school forbade its students from visiting the store during school hours, citing safety concerns of students crossing the street to reach the store. Although students created posters in support of the store and their rights to buy candy at lunchtime, the teachers prevailed.

The store building has been able to retain its original wood floors and custom-built shelving. The Greenes salvaged a decorative ceiling from Snow's Furniture Store, one block away, and installed it into the store. Candy is still displayed in bulk in glass jars and homemade soup was added to the store's offerings in recent years. The store became part of Green Gate Village in 1982 and is still in operation. There are a couple tables out front under the front awning. A vintage gas pump still stands near the sidewalk, where generations of St. Georgians filled up their tanks; the store's newspaper ads mentioned selling gasoline and oil as early as 1918. A 1923 newspaper ad touts the "gent's clothing" made by J.L. Taylor of Chicago and New York, splendidly tailored and mode to order from your measurements.

Anonymous. Judd's Store - Takeout and Delivery, Yelp. January 1st 2020. Accessed September 8th 2020. https://www.yelp.com/biz/judds-store-saint-george.

Benson, Lee. "At Judd's, it's like 'Cheers' without the booze." Deseret News (Salt Lake City, UT) January 26th 2020. , Utah sec.

Historic Village Properties LLC. Self-Guided Historic Village Tour, Green Gate Village, Washington County Historical Society, Businesses. Accessed September 4th 2020. https://wchsutah.org/businesses/green-gate-village-brochure.pdf.

Judd's Store. "Advertisement for Thomas Judd's Store." Washington County News (St. George, UT) October 31st 1918.

Judd's Store. "Advertisement for Thomas Judd's Store." Washington County News (St. George, UT) July 12th 1923.

Washington County Historical Society. Thomas Judd's Store, St. George, Utah, Businesses. January 1st 2020. Accessed September 4th 2020. https://wchsutah.org/businesses/judd-store.php.