Decoto Variety & Fountain

Manuel Hildalgo opened the Decoto Variety and Fountain on the corner of 6th and H street in 1947. Manuel was the previous owner of Junction Inn in Warm Springs, but he sold that businsess to William Pedemonte. Manuel's wife is the former Miss Paniagua, a native of Decoto.

The Variety store carries "dry goods for all the family such as would be most used in that sections, together with notions, etc." as reported by the Alvarado Pioneer newspaper. As described in the store title, the store also had a fountain where various drinks and floats could be found. Sandwiches were also served at the fountain.

Most Decoto residents should recognize the building as now occupied by Centro de Servicios. Given that the store opened just a few years after World War II, it is possible that the building was built in 1947 and the Decoto Variety is the first business to occupy the building.

The Hildalgo family ran the store for at least 10. A newspaper article from 1956 reported that Manuel was elected President of the Decoto Merchants Association for 1957. The same article mentioned that Decoto Variety also tied for first place with the Star Bakery, in the Decoto Christmas decorating contest of 1956. Manuel was also involved in the team the organized the incorporation of Union City in 1959.