OSCNA Members Hear About Store's Uniqueness

(posted July 4)

Marie Hall is owner of Etc. by Wham Bam, which is also known as the black and white store.

"I have a very unique store," she told the Old Speedway City Neighborhood Association members at their July 2 meeting. The store is located in the former Beck Drug Store at 1602 N. Lynhurst Drive.

She described her black and white racing novelty store as the gather place for solving world problems as well as merchandise that includes clothes, racing collectibles and books. "You never know who will come into the store to talk. Guys like to come to the gathering corner because guys don't like to go to other guy's homes to visit."

OSCNA member Linda Childers attested to the store's uniqueness."It is a vast array of all black and white stuff," she said. She encouraged everyone to stop by during the Christmas season to buy racing ornaments, and said that no tree in Speedway should be exempt from displaying one.

OSCNA member Marilyn Conner said in reference to the store unusual merchandise, "You would never know just by driving by."

Hall said she helped one lady plan her black and white wedding with the idea to wave checkered flags instead of throwing rice. She also suggested the wedding guests sign a 3 ft. x 5 ft checkered flag for that treasured keepsake, a unique memento to display during the month of May. Hall's talents are not just limited to wedding suggestions. She also has made a statement with fashion during the month of May.

Through Hall's involvement with the 500 Festival, she was handed the fashion honor of dressing the 500 Princesses in their black and white evening gowns for the last three years. "No two dresses are alike. I had to find sizes 0 to 26 and the size 26 was the hard one," she said. She works with a lady in San Francisco, Secret Ingredient and Finish Line, to clothe the thirty three girls.

Hall thinks it is important that each girl feels like a Princess in the gown she is wearing since it will be seen at events like the Mayor's Breakfast and Snake Pit Ball.

Hall's knowledge of fashion is more of an innate guide. "I know what I would wear", she said. Hall does not have a fashion design or sewing background. Her sewing business started as Wham Bam Monogramming when her husband Norm was involved in racing. He raced at the IMS in 1961 and 1964. Hall's business started out sewing on patches on drivers' uniforms. Patches were often used to cover up sponsor changes before before monogramming became popular. Etc by was added to Wham Bam when she decided to expand into merchandise.

At one point in time, her business was a woman's boutique. Hall flew to Los Angeles several times a year to buy clothes for her store. It has only been the last five years that she is evolving more into a novelty and book store than clothing. In addition to running a business, Hall is very committed to Speedway and the youth.

She enjoys giving back to the community so much that she considers it to be an honor to be involved with the community and to operate her business here. She used the word "honor" several times in her presentation when describing her volunteer service.

Hall noted that she is a mentor for the Kiwanis Key Club. The Key Club is a service organization for high school students. She said that Speedway High School Key Club has over 50 percent attendance for the 7:15 a. m. weekly meetings. Hall is very proud of her Key Club students and wanted the public to know they too should be proud of them.

Hall encourages the students to become community involved. "Charity starts at home and goes out," she said. The Key Club helps at Roland Assisted Living next to the Speedway Post Office and with the Christmas Basket project to help needy families.

Hall is very active in the community to help offset her loneliness since the passing of her husband. Hall shared advice from her aunt with OSCNA members that you may live alone but you don't have to be lonely if you stay involved with life.