A Legacy of Community and Soul: Honoring Mary Hale 

As part of our growing Sabathani Living History Museum, we are proud to add a new face to the Southside Timeline: Mary Hale, a trailblazing business owner and beloved community figure whose story lives on through her daughter, Joyce Mayes, Senior Program Coordinator here at Sabathani. 

Born Mary Sanders in Duck Hill, Mississippi, she grew up during an era of intense racial discrimination. She and her husband, Jimmie Hale, were childhood sweethearts who later made the courageous move northward in search of greater opportunity. Jimmie’s brother, who lived in Minnesota through military service, encouraged them to relocate. The couple first settled in North Minneapolis before making their home in the Southside, where their impact would ripple through the community for decades. 

Jimmie found steady work at JK Weiser’s Minnesota Bearing Company, and Mary did housework for the Weiser family. Yet Mary had bigger dreams; she longed to open her own business. Though space and resources were out of reach, Mr. Weiser offered to rent her a storefront. With determination, Mary saved up to stock the shelves. 

In the early 1970s, she opened what became Hale’s Records & Wigs at 4753 4th Avenue South, just steps from a bus stop. It quickly became more than just a shop: it was a neighborhood hub pulsing with music, warmth, and connection. Mary curated every genre, from jazz to soul to the Bee Gees. She also sold wigs and jewelry, making the shop a destination for style, sound, and community care. Prince even stopped by once. Joyce remembers it fondly: “It was community, for sure… People weren’t just coming in to buy records—they were coming in to hang out, to listen to music, to find each other.” 

As business picked up, she moved to the corner of 46th and 4th Ave. Mary brought others along with her. She hired a trusted friend who was a single mother of four, and a student saving up for college. True to her generous spirit, she made the store a place of opportunity as well as joy. 

Joyce’s sister Patricia Jones remembers local performers singing on the front step of the shop, drawn by speakers that played music outside. “It was like you see in the movies where the groups practiced on the street,” Joyce shared. The shop spilled out into the sidewalk, a Southside soundtrack echoing through the neighborhood. 

Mary was the first to open a record store in the area, and she made sure it felt like home. The shop also featured African art, jewelry, and vibrant paintings. She organized trips to the Milwaukee Jazz Festival and made sure the store was a welcoming space for young people, often serving as an informal after-school hangout. “She was like a babysitter,” Joyce laughed. “Kids would just stop in after school. ‘Do you have this record?’ they’d ask, after hearing Pharaoh Black on KMOJ suggesting they visit the store, but really, they just wanted to be there.” 

Although the record store lasted only about five years, it left a lasting mark. The Hale family later shifted their focus to a beauty salon run by Joyce’s sister, where Mary continued to show up, support others, and be “Mom” to everyone who walked through the door. Even as she aged, she remained active and independent, until she passed away in 2021.  

She defied expectations at a time when it was rare for women – especially Black women – to run their own businesses. “She worked because she wanted to,” Joyce shared, “and my father supported her in that.” 

Mary Hale’s legacy continues to inspire us. Her story is a reminder of the resilience, creativity, and deep sense of community that defines South Minneapolis – and Sabathani itself. 

We are honored to lift up her memory and include her photo on the Southside Timeline. Thank you, Joyce, for sharing your mother’s story with us. Her spirit lives on in every beat, every smile, and every act of community care. 

Visit the Sabathani Living History Museum

Learn more about the Sabathani Living History Museum here and come visit during Sabathani open hours:
Monday–Friday, 7am–9pm
Saturday, 10am–4pm 

Soon, we will showcase new additions to our Southside Heroes display in the north corridor. Details coming soon! Subscribe to our email newsletter to get the scoop on the date for the unveiling.