By Don Rutledge
FPS Staff Writer
One of Carrollton’s oldest businesses is closing, and its longtime employee and manager of 44 years is retiring!
The announcement of the closing was made by Elaine J. Painting, who has been manager of Ashton’s Ben Franklin 5 & 10¢ Store since 1981 and is celebrating 44 years of employment on March 21, 2025.
Located at 60 W. Main St., the original Ben Franklin Store was opened by John Ashton and his wife, Evelyn, in 1932 at 104 W. Main St. in a building that formerly housed J. L. Heiniger Store and was later occupied by C&K Shoe Store. The building is presently the location of Sunset Beach Tanning.
In 1938, the Ashtons moved the Ben Franklin to its present location and expanded the building in 1964 — the plans for which were drawn by Evelyn.
Celebrating a “Golden Year,” a giant in-store celebration was held Dec. 10, 1982, marking 50 years of growth.
That’s when Elaine Painting was store manager, having first started working for the Ashtons for a year (1972-73) and returning on March 21, 1981, as manager.
Closing Sale Underway
An inventory reduction sale is underway before the closing and sale of the two buildings. Readers are urged to keep their eye on Facebook and the store windows, Mrs. Painting said in a retirement letter she issued last month. Elaine’s retirement will begin when the store is finally closed and everything is cleaned up.
Elaine’s 44-Year Management with “Mr. Ashton”
Following are responses to questions submitted by The Free Press Standard to Elaine Painting regarding the 44 years she spent as store manager and her close professional association with John Ashton, whom she always refers to as “Mr. Ashton.”
Elaine J. Painting
Date she first started at Ashton’s 5 & 10 Store?
I worked for Mr. A for a year in 1972-73. Then I returned on March 21, 1981, as manager.
Some of the accomplishments and additions to the store—any pitfalls or stressful problems that you might want to mention over the years?
Additions—cake decorating, enhancing the Fabric/craft line, and constantly changing merchandise with the times.
Pitfalls—change in culture and shopping habits. Youth have no loyalty and have not been taught the “Shop Small” concept for their community. Recently, finding employees who want to work or have any type of work ethic has been difficult.
Founding of the John H. & Evelyn L. Ashton Preservation Association
Why was it formed?
Mr. A wanted his legacy to continue for years to come. He wanted people to understand how the world is constantly changing with the development of a museum that illustrates those changes.
He also wanted young people from the Carroll County area to be blessed with financial assistance for doing well in their schoolwork and therefore, the APA gives scholarships every year. The money from the Ashton Preservation Association Funds is not just used for student scholarships but also supports community projects enabling the community to grow in new ways. Community grant money awarded from 2007 to 2024 totals $917,652.
Scholarship—number of students and total money given out to date?
The number of students who receive first-year scholarships could range from 20 to 30. The blessing the Ashton Preservation Association gives to first-year scholarship recipients is that if they keep their grade point average up, they are entitled to apply for second-, third-, fourth-, and possibly fifth-yearassistance in their education. Scholarship money awarded from 2008 to 2024 totaled $932,650.
Closing Plans
Selling all merchandise, followed by the sale of the building.
Some remembrances with Mr. A?
Mr. A was 75 years old when I started. I worked for him for 25 years before he died on Dec. 15, 2005 (four months shy of 100 years old). In August 2005, he was distraught because he found out that the last of his friends from high school had died and realized most of his community friends were gone as well. He felt very alone and talked a lot about how he had nothing to look forward to. He had a great wife and family, did everything he wanted, and had accomplished so much in his business career.
When I was first hired by Mr. A in 1972, my job was to assist him in changing the counters and relining the merchandise as suggested by the plans from Ben Franklin. The employees then were Inez, Freda, Virginia, Ruthie, Jeanie, and Laura.
I found out later that the girls had a bet on just how long I would be working for Mr. A. (I won that bet.)
Within just a few weeks, I understood how the process was to work. Mr. A would come in and set the counters (doing the heavy work), and I would continue working on setting the merchandise. These women were still working in the store in 1983 when I took over management.
In 1981, the plan for me to take over as manager was to come in, work the floor, and get reacquainted with the store. I was to say nothing to anyone. Dorothy Borland, the manager at the time, had worked for the Ashtons for 40 years, and she did not want anyone to know she was retiring.
It was a joke when I was being interviewed that my contract would read that I would work for 40 years just like Dorothy. Dorothy was to educate me about all the aspects of buying, ordering, and scheduling employees. Well, she showed me two times how to do the registers, and that’s about it. Within a half hour, I realized she was gone. Her keys were lying on the desk—no goodbye, no good luck—just gone.
I called Mr. A to tell him she left, and I was so worried because I wasn’t sure of everything I needed to do. I can remember his chuckle, and he said, “Settle down, go home and tomorrow we will do this together. We will be fine, just relax.”
Mr. A was a bugger to work for—there were many times I went home crying—but he helped make me who I am today. As I have said before, he allowed me to be a mother when I needed to be, a daughter when my parents needed me, and I had the honor of being his caregiver at the end of his life.
Most people don’t know this about Mr. A, but he was a very giving man. If he found out that there was a need in the community, he would do his best to fill it, but the key was that the person having their need met could not know he was the one responsible.
That was the challenge—I was blessed with being the person who made those things happen. A young lady needed a nurse’s uniform to graduate, and she didn’t have the money to buy her uniform. (Secretly, Mr. A made sure she had the money.) A young student going to college needed a computer—not only did she receive a computer, but a printer as well.
I will never forget ordering my first Ben Franklin Sale Plan. In September 1983, the merchandise came in a month before it was to be put out. Mr. A always helped unload the trucks, so when he unloaded 20 cases of six each of this new toy item, he was a little miffed. In fact, he was so mad at me, he did not speak to me for two weeks.
Time for the sale to be put out—the sale started, and by the third day, the toy was completely gone. Since I knew he was mad about the toys, I called him and told him they had all sold. He immediately told me to get more ordered, and I told him we couldn’t. That was when they only allowed you to have so many of an item. When they were gone, they were gone.
The item was called “Care Bears.” He relaxed a little with me (that was a good thing) because then the Christmas Sale came in November 1983, and the “Cabbage Patch” dolls made an appearance. He never said a word… bless his heart.
In your 44 years at Ashton’s
Besides the daily store responsibilities, my community involvement has been great, and the opportunities I have had to serve the community have been overwhelming.
Elaine’s Business Affiliations
Carrollton Business & Retail Merchants—Heritage Days, Sidewalk Sales, Christmas Parade, Scarecrows on the Square
Served on Carrollton Village Council
Carroll County Chamber of Commerce
Carrollton Business Women (still a member)
Carrollton Athletic Booster Club
CHI (Carroll Hills Industries) President (still a member)
Retirement
I think Jim has retired at least eight times. I’m not holding out much hope for me sitting still for any length of time. There’s always something to do.
The Ashton House Museum?
No effect—will continue.
Reasons for Closing/Retirement
Not enough business. Shopping patterns have changed. Can’t compete with the vast ways people can get their merchandise.