anybody remember the Downs' store in Chantilly? I think it was demolished in the 80s or something. I remember going there as a kid and getting fresh fruit. i think they built Sully plaza over it.

I live behind the Chantilly Shoppers in the condos. I was born in the 80's so I wouldn't know lol.

What is "Downs"? like a supermarket?

novaresident1 Wrote:
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> I live behind the Chantilly Shoppers in the
> condos. I was born in the 80's so I wouldn't know
> lol.
>
> What is "Downs"? like a supermarket?

It's a syndrome.

i think it used to be where the Shell gasoline station is now. there's a book out about Chantilly. i can't remember the title of it, but i remember the cover -- a old pic of some kids sitting at the counter of the downs store.

Downs store caught fire in the late 70s early 80s. It was damaged beyond repair.
It's location was where the jiffy lube sits on the east side of rt 50.

It was a country store that had a Civil War era musket hanging above the front door and very old wooden plank floors. It had a little of everything, from a hardware section, work clothes, ammo, and even a meat counter with a butcher. At Christmas time, the owner would be Santa and give kids sodas and candy. Even during the late 60s, the closest big grocery store for people around Chantily was the A&P in Fairfax across from Fairfax High School (now Paul VI). I believe that Rt. 50 was only two lanes in the late 60s.

ev Wrote:
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> Downs store caught fire in the late 70s early 80s.
> It was damaged beyond repair.
> It's location was where the jiffy lube sits on the
> east side of rt 50.


How can a road that runs east/west have an east side? Do you mean the Atlantic Ocean? Thats east of route 50.

Drowning Wrote:
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>
>
> How can a road that runs east/west have an east
> side? Do you mean the Atlantic Ocean? Thats east
> of route 50.

I understood it as the 'east bound' side.

ok does the eastbound lane make more sense to you

mwfh Wrote:
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> i think it used to be where the Shell gasoline
> station is now. there's a book out about
> Chantilly. i can't remember the title of it, but
> i remember the cover -- a old pic of some kids
> sitting at the counter of the downs store.

you're thinking of voices of chantilly. from that...
"the store was located on the south side of US 50 and one-half mile east of centreville road."

and an electrical fire burned it irreparably in 1981.

Remember Down's Store from late 60s-early 70s! It was a small old-time Chantilly Market that (Maine) outlined very well. Back then, nearest high school was Herndon High School. Oldest sis went to Homecoming w/ Mr. Downs' son (David?)

Mr. Downs ran the family store and recall him wearing a stained smock between handling the butcher shop and cash register duties. He gave me a balsa wood airplane w/ rubber band operated propeller for free and I never forgot that!!

Everyone living in original/old Greenbrier subdivision shopped at Downs. Even, early Reston residents went there in the late 60's Only other options were the larger supermarkets in Fairfax City (like Maine mentioned) or the Safeway that once existed in Herndon at Elden Street Plaza with a People's Drug Store. There was also a mini-Safeway super market in Lake Anne Reston when Reston was initially being constructed. Downs sold live minnows in a tub for fishing in local streams like- Cub Run Stream that wasn't polluted back, then!

Further West on 50 there was also Pangle's Store in Arcola that was very similar to Downs. Now called Evegreen Market. Great post and thank you to (oldchantillytimer) and (Maine) for providing some good memories! There aren't any similar-like markets left in this area.

I was the working at the Chantilly Fire House the night that "Down's Store" burnt down. There was several feet of snow on the ground and it was going pretty well before we got the call. They use to clean the floors with varsal which added to the fire. We were inside for at least forty minutes before we were pulled out. The building had two roofs and the fire was in between the ceiling and we could not get to it.

It was right down the street from the station and we went there everyday for lunch. This building had been used as a hospital during the Civil War.

A Jiffy Lube is on the site today, I believe there is a Sunoco Station across the street.

I remember the front windows were spaced unusually far apart.

Ok then what is the old Quizno's that was built into an old civil war type buildng. Sure Quizno's is not what your thinking of?


View Larger Map

View Larger Map

People with Downs syndrome?

I am confused.

Quiznos Wrote:
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> Ok then what is the old Quizno's that was built
> into an old civil war type buildng. Sure Quizno's
> is not what your thinking of?
>
> View Larger Map


Sorry to burst your bubble, but that "log cabin" quizno's is new construction.

Bobby Wrote:
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> Quiznos Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Ok then what is the old Quizno's that was built
> > into an old civil war type buildng. Sure
> Quizno's
> > is not what your thinking of?
> >
> > View Larger Map
>
>
> Sorry to burst your bubble, but that "log cabin"
> quizno's is new construction.



You didnt burst any bubble because not all of it is new construction as you claim. The site of the Quizno's is where the Mitchell-Weeks house was located, and the stone chimneys and the log siding on the front porch of the Quizno's are materials from the original house.

Is it run by Wrote:
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> People with Downs syndrome?
>
> I am confused.

So are they.
Attachments:

You said Downs
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Remember the store well...went there often. My family moved into Brookfield, nearby in 1968. As a kid I loved going in that store, the floors tilted sideways in different directions and it just felt like a place that had been around forever. Remember going there when I was 5 or 6 (1970 or so) and there was a circus on or very near the grounds. Not a BIG circus...but a very small one. Think it was the first time I saw non domesticated animals up close. I was a senior in High School when it burned down. Very sad to see it go...

I have the Voices of Chantilly book somewhere in my house. It was given to me by a man who is one of the boys on the cover. He still lives in the area.

We had paving done a few years ago by Poland Paving (the family that used to own Poland Farms further west on rt50 which is behind the Sheetz gas station). Buddy Poland recalled the old Downs store and used to live in a house in the neighborhood behind what is now the Shell gasoline store.

Before the new homes directly behind the Shell gas station were built, there used to be one old house. The owner of that house said the house used to sit in the middle of where rt50 is now. When rt50 was expanding, the county told him that his house had to be moved but they didn't say he had to move it himself. He had to scramble to find someone to move it for him at the last minute.

I've heard that the old Mitchell-Weeks house (Quiznos) had once been used as a fire station and a make-shift civil war hospital. Before Quiznos construction began, a guy I know was able to salvage one of the doorknobs that still had the civil war handcuffs on it. He claims they used to shackle men to the door during amputations to keep them from restrained during the procedure.

Supposedly, back in the land next to the Shell gasoline station, behind where the big boulders are now sitting, there is an old civil war grave site. Not sure if it's marked or not, but that's what I've heard.

We moved to Centreville in 1968 and everyone in the area went to Downs, cool old place, awesome steaks. I married the produce guy there, Terry Long. Good times!

Wow! I was searching to see if I could find any pictures of Down's store and I found this.

As a child in the 60's we would make the drive to Chantilly from Franconia up Rt. 50 through farm land, before 495/95/66 and visit my Aunt & Uncle and my two cousins, Oswald "Huck" and Virginia Downs. The house right next to the store is where they lived (I am unsure if it is still there) with a wrap around porch and Aunt Gin had a Franklin wood stove she cooked the best meals as well as biscuits I still remember to this day.

The store I can still see in my minds eye with just about everything you would need... ammunition, overalls, food and then the butcher shop where Uncle Huck would teach me how to make hamburger. What great memories!

As with everything, they sold the property and moved to Trombone Ct., I think it was a town house. Aunt Gin died before Uncle Huck. They are buried along with many other family members in, National Memorial Park in Falls Church.

Does anyone have any pictures?