From the Dispatch-Democrat, Ukiah, California, on Friday, May 26, 1922: J.C. Hurley announces his candidacy for the nomination of District Attorney, A.J. Berkovits for Country Recorder, and E.G. Brown for Sheriff, at the primary election to be held August 29, 1922. R.R. Byrnes (incumbent) announces his candidacy for the nomination of Sheriff subject to the primary election, Tuesday, August 31, 1922.

The "J R Hill prop" looks out of place and seems to stick out. Perhaps the foto was doctored at some point?

[It's the sign that was retouched, not the photo. And that "gray" could be faded red, blue, etc. - Dave]

I found the owners of this place in the 1920 census.

J Raymond (or Raymond J, depending upon the year) was born in West Virginia, divorced at some point prior to 1920 and was living as a boarder with Charley Hill in 1920. In 1930 he'd moved in with a brother and had become a farmer. he was around 53 at the time of this photo.

From 1945, here's his death notice in the local Ukiah newspaper.

The apostrophe in "guid's" is called the grocers' plural.

[Not here. It's an improvised contraction, with the apostrophe standing in for the missing E, just as the apostrophe in "can't" stands in for the missing N and O in "cannot." - Dave]