In the 1970s, along the east side Chestnut Street, between Essex and Appleton, a sign advertising a taxidermist hung from a front lawn lamp post. This is the story of Charles C. Lobik, who operated the business. As is the case when writing these entries, where one story begins, it may lead to another in this case, a grocery store.
Charles C. Lobik was born in Monson, Massachusetts, on April 12, 1912. At the age of 9 or 10, he took a correspondence course to learn taxidermy from the Northwestern School of Taxidermy in Omaha, Nebraska. Once he received his certificate, he practiced taxidermy on animals at his parents' farm.
During the Great Depression, with few opportunities where he lived, he moved to New York and worked as an auto repair technician.
His passion was taxidermy, and he applied and was accepted for a job at the Museum of Natural History. In 1940, he moved to Holyoke and opened a taxidermy shop on Northampton Street, which later was the site of the City Paint Factory.
He and his wife Dorothy settled at 55 North Summer Street. Mr. Lobik worked as a welder at Worthington Pump and Machine Company and did taxidermy work.
In 1948, Mr. Lobik operated a grocery store at the northwest corner of Essex and Chestnut Street. The store had been owned by several different people since the early 20th century. In the 1940s, it was called Quality Grocer. Under his ownership, it was renamed Charlie's Variety Store.
On January 1, 1949, he and his spouse purchased the tenement building the grocery was located in from the Taft Realty Company.
On February 6, 1962, they purchased a wood-frame home at 192 Chestnut Street, almost directly across the street from his store. The Valley Taxidermist sign was placed on a post in the front yard.
He operated his taxidermy business into the early 1980s. He died on October 27, 1984.
Citations:
Newspapers.com (paid subscription): Citations: Holyoke (Massachusetts) Transcript & Transcript-Telegram; publication dates are shown.
Holyoke Public Library, Holyoke, Massachusetts, City Directories.
Registry of Deeds, Hampden County, Springfield, Massachusetts
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