S. L. Tillman, 1930-2004

Businessman deals in diversity By David Plankuchen Meet S. L. Tillman. The "S" is for Sullivan. He didn't say what the "L" is for. It doesn't matter much anyway. "Ninety-nine percent of the peoples call me Tillman," he said. "Even my wife. She calls me Tillman all the time." Tillman owns and operates an unusual combination of businesses at the northwest corner of South Memorial Drive and 11th Street: Tillman's Car Wash Service. Tillman's One Stop Liquor Mart. Tillman's Sandwich Shop. Combined sales of all three totaled about $162,000 in 1975, up from about $92,000 in 1974, Tillman said, and the target for 1976 is $200,000. This year's plans, he noted, include adding a soul food carryout operation offering collard greens, ham hocks and home-made potato pie, among others. Tillman is 45. He was about 20 when he came here in April of 1951 from Goodman, a small town on the Big Black River in Homes County, Miss., where he dropped out of school at 12 or so and worked as an attendant at a gas station, a job that included washing cars. Tillman said he came to Racine because he had asthma, a sister living here (she still does), and the promise of a job as a janitor at S. C. Johnson & Son Inc. While working at the janitorial job nights, Tillman by day ran the car wash department at Sommers Motor Co., an auto dealership that operated at 800 Marquette St., where Wiese Motors is now. In 1956, he bought a small two-stall garage building at 1046 S. Memorial Drive and went into the car wash business for himself that November. "I had a small education, a fourth grade education," Tillman said, "so I decided I better get into something I knew how to do, and educate myself as I went along." Tillman kept the Johnson night job, which he didn't give up until mid 1971. That year, the building next door at 1040 S. Memorial Drive became available and Tillman bought it, using the back part of it for additional car wash space. The liquor store, he said, was "a spur of the moment thing ... a friend of mine suggested a liquor store, and I called the city the next day to see about a license." Tillman's One Stop Liquor Mart, opened in April of 1972 in the front of the building, was the result. Tillman said he borrowed $700 from his sister, Mrs. Jimmie Lee Day of 1625 Linden Ave., to open the store. "That was the biggest amount of money I ever borrowed," he said. "But I got broke through my first divorce and didn't have anything to start on." Last fall, Tillman erected a small addition at the back of the building and opened Tillman's Sandwich Shop, a carryout business offering ribs, fish, chicken, cheeseburgers, hamburgers and Polish sausages. Tillman has 15 full and part time employees -- seven in the sandwich shot, six in the car wash operation, two in the liquor store -- and keeps a firm hand on all three enterprises. "I got no parts of the business I don't help in," he said. "I work all over. That's my whole determination, to work right along with my employees." Which makes for some long days, including three a wee of 18 hours. Tillman said he takes only a half day off, on Sunday. The car wash can handle four autos at a time and the work is done by hand, with no automatic equipment. In addition to the standard wash, which includes an interior vacuum cleaning, Tillman "reconditions" cars. That involves cleaning and painting the motor and washing, waxing, and buffing the car and drags in business from used car dealers. Tillman said the proliferation of automatic car wash operations here in recent years hasn't hurt his business. Why not? "I think people like to have their cars gone over completely," he said, "not just on the outside." Asked if he had any particular business philosophy, Tillman paused a moment, then said: "I like to see everyone treated properly to the best of my ability, regardless. The thing is to treat everyone fair and square."
S. L. Tillman in one of his four business enterprises. Racine Journal Times, Sunday, March 14, 1976

Businessman deals in diversity

By David Plankuchen, Racine Journal Times, Sunday, March 14, 1976

Meet S. L. Tillman.
The “S” is for Sullivan.
He didn’t say what the “L” is for.
It doesn’t matter much anyway.
“Ninety-nine percent of the peoples call me Tillman,” he said. “Even my wife. She calls me Tillman all the time.”
Tillman owns and operates an unusual combination of businesses at the northwest corner of South Memorial Drive and 11th Street:
Tillman’s Car Wash Service.
Tillman’s One Stop Liquor Mart.
Tillman’s Sandwich Shop.
Combined sales of all three totaled about $162,000 in 1975, up from about $92,000 in 1974, Tillman said, and the target for 1976 is $200,000.
This year’s plans, he noted, include adding a soul food carryout operation offering collard greens, ham hocks and home-made potato pie, among others.

Tillman is 45.
He was about 20 when he came here in April of 1951 from Goodman, a small town on the Big Black River in Homes County, Miss., where he dropped out of school at 12 or so and worked as an attendant at a gas station, a job that included washing cars.
Tillman said he came to Racine because he had asthma, a sister living here (she still does), and the promise of a job as a janitor at S. C. Johnson & Son Inc.
While working at the janitorial job nights, Tillman by day ran the car wash department at Sommers Motor Co., an auto dealership that operated at 800 Marquette St., where Wiese Motors is now.
In 1956, he bought a small two-stall garage building at 1046 S. Memorial Drive and went into the car wash business for himself that November.
“I had a small education, a fourth grade education,” Tillman said, “so I decided I better get into something I knew how to do, and educate myself as I went along.”
Tillman kept the Johnson night job, which he didn’t give up until mid 1971.
That year, the building next door at 1040 S. Memorial Drive became available and Tillman bought it, using the back part of it for additional car wash space.
The liquor store, he said, was “a spur of the moment thing … a friend of mine suggested a liquor store, and I called the city the next day to see about a license.”
Tillman’s One Stop Liquor Mart, opened in April of 1972 in the front of the building, was the result.
Tillman said he borrowed $700 from his sister, Mrs. Jimmie Lee Day of 1625 Linden Ave., to open the store.
“That was the biggest amount of money I ever borrowed,” he said. “But I got broke through my first divorce and didn’t have anything to start on.”
Last fall, Tillman erected a small addition at the back of the building and opened Tillman’s Sandwich Shop, a carryout business offering ribs, fish, chicken, cheeseburgers, hamburgers and Polish sausages.
Tillman has 15 full and part time employees — seven in the sandwich shot, six in the car wash operation, two in the liquor store — and keeps a firm hand on all three enterprises.
“I got no parts of the business I don’t help in,” he said.
“I work all over. That’s my whole determination, to work right along with my employees.”
Which makes for some long days, including three a week of 18 hours. Tillman said he takes only a half day off, on Sunday.
The car wash can handle four autos at a time and the work is done by hand, with no automatic equipment.
In addition to the standard wash, which includes an interior vacuum cleaning, Tillman “reconditions” cars. That involves cleaning and painting the motor and washing, waxing, and buffing the car and drags in business from used car dealers.
Tillman said the proliferation of automatic car wash operations here in recent years hasn’t hurt his business.
Why not?
“I think people like to have their cars gone over completely,” he said, “not just on the outside.”
Asked if he had any particular business philosophy, Tillman paused a moment, then said:
“I like to see everyone treated properly to the best of my ability, regardless. The thing is to treat everyone fair and square.”

11th and Memorial

December 19, 2004, Racine Journal Times.

S. L. TILLMAN
RACINE – Mr. S. L. Tillman, 74, was called home on Thursday, December 16, 2004.
He was born in Goodman, Miss., on January 8, 1930, son of the late Mack and Willie (nee: Ambrose) Tillman. On January 11, 1971, he was united in matrimony to Maxine ‘Mikki’ Cosby.
Mr. Tillman had worked at SC Johnson for 20 years, and also owned Tillman’s One Stop Car Wash and Sandwich Shop. His friends affectionately knew him as ‘Tillman’. He was an avid checkers player, and loved watching Cubs baseball and basketball on TV. His life was fulfilled by hard work, his love of God, and his love for his family. Tillman was an active and faithful member of St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church.
He is survived by his loving wife, Mikki Tillman; son Joseph (Candace) Garland of Birmingham, Ala.; stepchildren, Dwaine (Marie) Belcher, Sr., Darlene Belcher, Dyan (Billy) Boyd, Darcell (Andrea) Ashford, all of Racine, and Drew (Anna) Belcher of Woodbridge, Va.; many grandchildren; a host of other relatives and friends including his nieces, Dorothy (Robert) Tillman-Wright, Pamela Vaughn-Wilson, Crystal Tillman-Patterson, Carolyn Day, and Mary Day; and nephews Edward Day and Irish Day. He was preceded in death by his brothers, Percy Tillman and Mack Tillman, Jr.; and sister, Jimmie Lee Day.
Homegoing services will be held at 11 a.m. on Monday, December 20, 2004, at the St. Paul Missionary Baptist Church with Bishop Lawrence L. Kirby officiating. Burial in Graceland Cemetery will follow. Visitation and viewing in the church will commence at 9 a.m.
Many thanks are extended to the staff at Allsaints Healthcare, and of Lincoln Lutheran Convalescence Center for their skilled and compassionate care to both Tillman and his family.
DRAEGER-LANGENDORF FUNERAL HOME
1910 Taylor Avenue 637-6514

Beloved Husband & Father S L Tillman 1930-2004
S L Tillman, 1930-2004, Graceland Cemetery, Racine, Wisconsin