Durall TV Company was begun when Maurice Durall and Hartley Grisham began putting up television antennas on the roofs of houses in 1951. At that time television reception was very poor with a lot of snowy and blank television screens.  Antennas were about 48 feet high from the roof. Only St. Louis stations were available and that was beyond the range of most antennas but neighbors still congregated nightly in the homes that had television sets.  

In 1952, Maurice “Mac” Durall and his wife, Colleen, opened a television sales and service store at 413 North Market Street, next door to Bennies restaurant. They went to St. Louis and bought 5 television sets and put them on display. When they sold them, they bought a few more. Starting in this small way they built a large TV business.

Mac and Hartley Grisham joined forces again and built a new building at 1400 West Main Street. The building was built by Hartley and his dad, Harvey Grisham.  Appliances were added to the sales line of Magnavox and Zenith televisions.  Hartley sold out to Mac in 1956. The Duralls opened another store in Carbondale to sell television with Doug Lee as the manager. Sales personnel were Bill Wright, Ronnie Hale and Howard Lambert. Television service men were Homer “Bud” Counts, James Wiseman, Bill Moorman. Antenna men were Charles Mandrell, Bernard Pugh, Ron Pulley and Leo Followell. Radio servicemen were Allen James and Ed Overturf.

In 1963 the television market had begun slowing down and Mac began selling two-way radios all over Southern Illinois. The television sales were phased out about two years later. Although the TV store lasted only about 13 years, more than 6000 TV sets were sold though out the area.

Hartley became a partner again about 1965 and sold out again in 1967.  Mac stayed in the 2-way radio business for about 23 years.

Notes: The old Durall building at 1400 W. Main in Marion in 2014 is occupied by Fox Medical Supplies at the corner of N. Lear and W. Main Street.

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(Compiled by Colleen Norman, 2014)