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SHELBY TOWNSHIP — From the time it was established by the Pearsall family around 1840, the Disco General Store, located at the northwest corner of 24 Mile and Van Dyke, was a gathering place for villagers as shown in this photograph from the late 1800s. The business was purchased by John Switzer in 1880 and became known as the Switzer Store. It featured a variety of goods including hardware, clothing, groceries and patent medicine. John’s son, Hugh, took over the store in 1936 and modernized it with new display cases and equipment. Like the previous owners, Hugh Switzer offered a wide variety of goods and services to local farmers and families. Around 1953 the business was sold to George Wellhausen, who continued selling a variety of foods and general supplies. In 1960, the Wellhausen family began producing and marketing German sausage, which was smoked in the smokehouse behind the store. The Wellhausen family sold the business in 1971. The store remained in operation for another 20 years. During this time, most of the old businesses in the village of Disco closed and many of the old homes and buildings were demolished to make room for future development. As the popularity and need for general stores decreased, the old Disco store finally closed its doors and the building was demolished in 1999. Today, a CVS occupies the site.
— Hilary Davis, Shelby Township Historical Committee
