Harvard and Floy Harp founded Harps in 1930. They started the first store with $500 in cash that Harvard had saved while working in the citrus industry in California. The first store was Harps Cash Grocery and was located in Springdale, AR. Over the next 34 years they remodeled, expanded, and moved to bigger buildings as their business continued to grow.
By the early 1950's, Harvard and Floy's oldest son, Don, had joined them in the business. In 1964 Harps became a small chain when the second store was opened in North Springdale.
By the mid-60’s, two other sons, Gerald and Reland, were involved in making the company a success. Don ran the company from the late 60’s until 1994 when Gerald took over as president. The Company purchased Don’s interest in 1995. Roger Collins, the current Chairman of the Board, became the president in 2000. Kim Eskew became president in 2008. In 2001 the Company’s Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) purchased all the outstanding stock from the Harp family and management; the Company became 100% employee-owned. Since 2001 the employees have seen their stock price go to over six times the original price. Sharing in the success of the company has built excitement among employees.
With 72+ stores in Arkansas, Oklahoma and Missouri, the Company has aggressive growth plans. The Company’s strategy has been to differentiate itself from the competition based on quality, service, and freshness at competitive prices. The Company promotes no solution/no sodium added fresh beef, pork and chicken. With customized cakes, Martha Harp fried chicken, donuts and rolls; the Harps name signifies quality. Combining that image with employee-owned service, Harps has become one of the grocery industry's most recognized independent chains and is a national success story for grocery companies competing against Wal-Mart.
i read that in the 1930.s grocery stores/supermarkets really took off, with the advent of refrigeration, and two other dynamics
the automobile- this made it possible for stores to go on the edge of town where land was cheap and build larger stores-it wasnt just main-streets where people walked
and
the 40 hr work week,,,
hard to think of it now, but many wages use to be seasonal, that's why you see the word "cash" such as cash and carry- no more credit stores use to credit most of the town based on seasonal pay
i like reading stores like this,,,a family business that did well-there was a sense of loyalty you dont see today
