John T. “Jack” Gibson
Cheney Free Press November ????
Veteran Groceryman Befriends Many; Recalls Early Days of Shopping
Close friend of students, senior area groceryman, humanitarian or friend of many shoppers. Any of these titles might fit John (Jack) Gibson, owner-manager of Gibson's 1011 First in Cheney.
Jack has watched the passing of many old grocery store features like the old macaroni bags, white beans and rice in bags, cheese in wheels, cakes built from scratch, and farm produce brought in for trade.
He was born in Coeur d'Alene, attended high school there, and came to college in Cheney in 1931. He worked and attended school parttime. In 1933-34 he went to work for Hughes' [Huse's] Store (where Kelly's is now) and in 1940 bought out the store and renamed it Gibson's. In 1960 he moved into his present market.
His wife is the former Evelyn McLean who was a telephone operator before they were married in 1935.
Early recollections of the grocery business in Cheney are that it was mostly a barter system in buying eggs, potatoes, and other items direct from the farmer.
In the early years, he used to go to the wholesale produce market in Spokane three or four times a week. Later the frozen foods came in and the trips to fresh market stopped.
Most of his present business is from people who drive to the store, although his market does have some of the charm of a neighborhood store.
Many students and others rely on the store to cash checks of various amounts and most of the customers seem to know Jack or other members of the veteran staff.
He has watched the buying habits of students over an extended period of time and notes that food stamps have solved a great many of the student's food problems.
Jack has one customer, Gay Swegle, that he has sold to her parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents.
Jack was one of six children in Coeur d'Alene. His father sold insurance, worked in a sawmill and in the woods.
Jack's grocery store hours are quite demanding and it leaves little time for other pursuits. However, he does like to fish and occasionally finds time. His wife is less active than she used to be, and Jack spends a good deal of his off duty time at home.
His help includes the butcher, Don Steensma, who has been at the store since 1959 and Mrs. Mary Kleweno, who has been at the store 19 years. Gibson also has three married college students as clerks.
Cheney Free Press 20 March 1959
Businessman of the Week
This week's businessman spotlight falls on a man who might better be considered the city's businessman of the year, in recognition of his accomplishment of opening a new supermarket, one of the largest new business ventures undertaken for many years.
John Gibson came to Cheney in 1931 as a student at the Cheney Normal school. He attended "off and on" for a few years, and in 1934 went to work for Alex Huse in Huse' grocery store.
He was promoted to manager of the store in 1938, and in January 1940, he bought the store from Huse. The store was located in the First street building just recently vacated by Gibson. In those days it was a Red and White store, but is now a Polka Dot store.
After being in the same building for 25 years, Gibson moved into his new supermarket in January 1959. The building was built for him by Mamie Ottomeier. The move to the supermarket building is the culmination of a long-standing goal for Gibson.
He married in 1935 to Evelyn McLean, a telephone operator, and they have three children, Judy, a student at EWC; Cindy, a Cheney High school student, and Steve, a Campus school student.
Gibson is a past master of the Masonic lodge, a member of the Chamber of Commerce, and served two terms on the city council in the early 1940s.
March 2001
John T. Gibson
John T. Gibson, 88, long time resident of Cheney, Washington, died 7 March 2001 in Spokane.
Mr. Gibson was born 18 October 1912 in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, to Bertram and Blanche (Thornton) Gibson. He was a graduate of Coeur d'Alene High School. He attended Cheney Normal School for two years before managing, and subsequently, owning and operating the Red & White store in Cheney. He later built and managed the Cheney Thrift Store.
Mr. Gibson was a 50-year member of the Masonic Lodge and a past master. In his leisure time, he was an avid reader and enjoyed fishing, gardening, refinishing furniture, and crossword puzzles.
He is survived by his children, Steve Gibson of Cheney, and Cindy Bruce of Seattle; grandchildren, Leslie, Holly, and Heather; great-grandchildren, Kyle and Kaylie. He was preceded in death by his wife Alice Evelyn McLean Gibson in 1975.
The funeral was Saturday, March 10 at Cheney Funeral Chapel followed by burial at Spokane Memorial Gardens Cemetery. The Reverend John Myers officiated.