About the legacy of Mr. Poplar Bluff, Louie Snider

The Poplar Bluff Museum has tales about us, our family and our history. I want to tell you some of those tales found within the museum walls.

What a great guy! Louie Snider Jr. coined the phrase “Isn’t it nice to live in Poplar Bluff?” Everyone called him “Mr. Poplar Bluff.” Louie became one of the most innovative and popular businessmen in town.

Louie was a young soldier in Patton’s Third Army in 1944. He helped relieve the embattled town of Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge. A great man from a great generation.

After the war, Louie went to work in his father’s grocery store. He was from a long line of grocers. In 1964, Louie bought his father’s business and moved it to the Poplar Bluff Square. He was an innovator. Louie added a cafeteria in his store, installed the first bar code scanners, added talking cash registers, began selling Missouri lottery tickets and opened his store 24 hours. In 1985, he was named “Grocery/Wholesaler Retailer of the Year.”

Louie’s trademark was a set of seven clocks on the wall. They were all set to different time zones from around the world. On the clock wall was the phrase “Anytime is Snider’s IGA Time.”

Mr. Poplar Bluff didn’t stop there. He was an active member of the Chamber of Commerce, Poplar Bluff Industries and the Housing Authority. Louie was director of Community Development and on the City Council. In 1961, he even served as the mayor of Poplar Bluff. In 1991, Louie sold his iconic business.

Louie’s famous world clocks are reproduced on the back wall of the People’s Room of the Poplar Bluff Museum with the phrase “Anytime is Snider’s IGA Time.”

Mr. Poplar Bluff’s biography is also on display. The museum is open every Sunday, free of charge, from 1-4 p.m. at 1010 Main St., Poplar Bluff (Formerly the Old Mark Twain School). Tell them Mike sent you!

Mike Shane is a veteran, Poplar Bluff resident and board member for the Poplar Bluff Museum.