2016 News Articles

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Wednesday, July 6th, 2016

Bill Thomman Shares Memories

“I’ve always liked people and I’ve really enjoyed association with the people in the community,” says Roberta “Bill” Thomman as she reflects over being a long-time Levelland business owner. “I made some friends I never would have had if not for that store,” she says of the jewelry and gift store she closed earlier this year. She says she closed the store because of her health and problems with her vision. She and her late husband, Bob Thomman, opened their store in 1961. “When I met Bob, he was just back from World War II. My sister and I had Langford Beauty Shop,” she remembers. She said that Harry McMann had a watch repair shop and encouraged Bob to learn to repair watches. They moved to Wichita Falls where they lived for a year and 10 months while he studied watch-making and jewelry repair at Hardin Junior College. “When we came back, he traveled across the South Plains looking for a job. Raymond Williams was working for O.L. Beach at Beach Jewelry and quit. Bob went to work for Mr. Beach, who was a master watchmaker and a good jeweler. He took Bob under his wing and taught him many things,” she says. She says that H.D. “Bo” Atchison bought Beach Jewelry and put in a second store in the Wallace Theater building. “Bob ran it until they closed it, and Bob decided he wanted to open his own store. He opened it in the same Wallace location. I was teaching music then. When we first opened the store, I worked there and then went home and taught my music students until 5:30 or so.” “I taught music for five years and really liked it,” she adds. The Thomman’s son, Jet, was born in 1956. She says Bernice Webb kept him a lot while they were building their business. “If we sold a watchband, I’d order two to replace it,” she says of those early years. “I remember when we got Elgin watches.

We were so excited. It was a big deal. “I was so nervous,” she remembers. “I didn’t know people would steal.” She remembers the pain she felt soon after getting their first shipments of diamonds and having one stolen. “It was just awful. I cried.” She says fashions have changed through the years but diamonds have always been popular. She said rubies and sapphires were also popular engagement ring stones. Now, some people are substituting synthetic stones for diamonds. The synthetic stones are very good and just as brilliant as the real thing. “I didn’t know anything about jewelry when I got into it. My preference in jewelry was pearls and I was not especially interested in diamonds.” she says, adding “I learned how to tell a good diamond and what to look for.” She still prefers pearls and frequently wears them. The Thommans bought the building at 807 Houston and relocated from the smaller store. “We moved on a Saturday night after working all day. All we had to put into that big room was the inventory we had,” she remembers. Over time, however, they grew and built onto the back of their store and onto the building next door. Earlene Grant had a frame shop in that building for many years. The Thommans extended their gift lines into that store, selling the inventory only after they sold the jewelry store. That building is now home to the Dandy Lion. Mrs. Thomman and her husband also owned a music store, World of Music, for a few years. After selling the stores, they took time off to enjoy life and their grandchildren. “We spent eight years running Thomman’s Taxi Service,” she says with a big smile. They enjoyed taking their grandchildren to ball games, home from school when sick and to different functions. “Jet and Connie didn’t have to worry because we were here. We loved every minutes of that. But when the grandchildren became teenagers and started driving, we saw less and less of them. That’s when I told Bob I wanted to reopen the store. He didn’t want to but he didn’t care if I did it,” she says. She reopened her store in 2000 and found there was a new generation of people with different tastes and values. “It was neat! I had to learn things all over,” she says of the challenge. She lost Bob three years ago but says they had many good years together. After closing the jewelry store earlier this year, she sold the building to Tony Malouf. It is now home to a fitness center. Over the years, she worked with four generations of customers, many of whom became valued friends. With free time, she has been going through the treasures she has collected and sharing them with friends. She has written some short stories and poems based on some of her many experiences over 90 years of living. She is writing from the heart. Her failing eyesight has forced her to quit playing music for her church, something she misses greatly. She is a member of the Fifth Street Baptist Church. Her grand piano still sits in her front living room, sheet music beckoning. She has wonderful memories and enjoys sharing them as she looks to the future.

Sunday, August 7th, 2016

2nd Annual LAAA Show and awards

The Wallace Theater is excited to announce the award recipients of the Second annual Levelland Area Artists’ Show that debuted Saturday, July 9 for Early Settlers Day and closed Sunday, July 31.

There were 27 artists from Levelland and the surrounding area who submitted work showcasing over 70 pieces at the Wallace Theater. “The Wallace Theater wishes to thank the volunteers and staff who made this show such a success and would like to congratulate all of the award winners and artists who participated in the show,” said Executive Director Alycyn Keeling

Lighting Up Levelland Award for best showing in the photography category: First place: “Glendalough” by Brigid Krizek. Second place: “Lonesome Dove” by Don Cook. Third place: “Texas Independence Day Sky” by Don Cook. Freestyle Award for best showing in the sculpture category: First place: “Diego the Andalusian” by Don Trotter. Second place: “Caprock Winery Girls” by Cynthia Reid. Third place: “Patchwork/2 Timothy 3:16-17” by Wendi Coats. Flatland Award for best showing in the drawing category: First place: “Migraine #3” by James William Wade. Second place: “Ali / Frazier” by Robert Garza. Second place: “Migraine #2” by James William Wade. Third place: “Tut Garnet” by Don Trotter. West Texas Sunset Award for best showing in the painting category: First place: “Rex.617 N” by Rick Rogers. Second place: “The Garden” by Julie Richardson. Third place: “The Temptation” by Robert Garza. Third place: “Moonlight on the Mittens” by John Hope. Frontier Award for best showing in the digital works and graphic design category: First place: “Daniel 16:23” by Robert Garza. Second place: “On the Cross” by Robert Garza. Third place: “Steampunk Court” by Sussan Bell. Third place: “Cowgirl Smile” by Don Cook. Young Artist Award for exhibiting profound artistic abilities at a young age: First place: “Lollypop Flowers” by Cooper Wallace. Friends of the Wallace Theater Award winners were: Sussan Bell, Wendi Coats, Don Cook, John Hope, Bette Hope, Clyde Morgan, Ginny Phillips, Cynthia Reid, Julie Richardson, Rick Rogers, Scott Rombokas, Ashley Saed, Don Trotter, Celina Turner, James William Wade and Rebeca Wallace. Best in Show: “Issemos Conowingo (Brothers at the Rapids)” by Clyde Morgan; “The Poet” by Clyde Morgan; and “Ice Array” by Bette Hope.