TOMS PRODUCE -- York, NE -- 1949
Posted by: 
68467lib
N 40° 51.853 W 097° 35.590
14T E 618560 N 4524636
CHAS. H. TOMS Produce (from inside back cover, 1949 York Telephone Directory)
Waymark Code: WM76GP
Location: Nebraska, United States
Date Posted: 09/09/2009
Views: 4
Sept. 2009: Information supplied by "Tommy" Toms.
The TOMS PRODUCE location on Lincoln Avenue eventually encompassed all the area now covered by the GRAND CENTRAL parking lot, and the former BICK IMPLEMENT building (now the south half of GRAND CENTRAL FOODS). The business had scaled up during York's brief claim to "EGG CENTER OF THE NATION." They also maintained their original location at 512 Grant Avenue -- now GOODWILL - waymark WN74QK -- as well.
Many farmsteads in the area have decaying poultry buildings which were tied to this business boomlet.
This waymark demonstrates the potential "boom or bust" nature of some facets of agriculture. Increasingly stringent health / food safety regulations and the food processor's urge to control costs by contracting directly with producers squeezed these produce companies out of existence. If a small farmer wants to produce eggs now, there is no place to sell them except private sales to individuals.