A well known and familiar character of our yesterdays in Sonora, was E.C. Frisbie - and the expressions - Frisbie's store - or "down to Frisbie's" were really by-words, for every housewife traded there - always hoping to get bargains. In fact, Frisbie's store was known as a bargain store.

Several years ago and old-timer told me something of Frisbie's early life and his famous Rawhide Store. He came to California from Tennessee in the 1860's - he drifted up into Tuolumne County where he conceived the idea of building a big general store in the county, near the famous Rawhide Mine - a rambling frame store with a long porch - and in front - a hitching rack fifty yards long. Frisbie was keen and alert - he advertised bargains and brought people to him - even from the town. In fact - everyone flocked to Frisbie's from all over the county.

He went to San Francisco about once a month and brought up quantities of auction goods - goods were piled almost to the ceiling - no system - no order- laces - silks - ribbons - all mixed with clothing - boots and shoes - counters full.

Frisbie, shrewd and keen - conceived the idea of serving a free lunch to customers; families came - enjoyed a lunch - had an outing and went home loaded down with household goods. A man told me that his parents bought his pants from Frisbies and they were not a masterpiece of tailoring - just pants - big and wide. Those pioneers were none too flush, and they loved bargains - and Frisbies had them (or was suppose to).

It was said he always kept a barrel of good whiskey in the cellar and his good male customers were treated to a "dram" or two. After a few very lucrative years Frisbie's friends urged him to come to Sonora, so he opened a store where Baer's store now is. The same method - the same type of goods - and soon Frisbie's counters were piled high and people flocked there for bargains. 

Although there were piles of cheap shoddy goods it was said shrewd housewives with good judgment came early and bought beautiful things. There was a little room in the back full of shoes- as children, we bought cloth-top button shoes - you fit yourself - and paid for them - but they never did fit - and there was "no come back".  Frisbie had no salesmanship - if you liked a thing, you took it - or you left it - it mattered little to him.

Frisbie was a peculiar character of tremendous size weighing almost three hundred pounds - his feet were too small to carry his weigh, so he would sit in front of his store by the hour on a big barrel chair - his feet on a bench. In the store he would lie on the counter, full length, and take a nap. He employed two young clerks for a few years, but his methods must be carried out. Free and easy methods - in those free and easy days - but Frisbie amassed a fortune which he left to a few friends who had been kind to him through the years.

He belonged to no clubs - or order - was quiet - almost taciturn - but kind and strictly honest in his dealings

To us, Frisbie's Store was a real institution - there was not another like it - and there was never another Frisbie.