The year 2025 was a historic one for the Berryville Public Library and, by extension, for the town of Berryville. We broke ground on the new library last April, so the library should be finished this summer. Preparation for the new building has made us at the Berryville Library nostalgic and reflective, not just about the library’s history but also about the town’s history. Other seminal moments in Berryville Library history occurred in 1938 and 1978, so we spent the year looking back on what Berryville was like then, as well as what it is like now, as we also look to the future. This is the final regular blog post of the Celebrate Berryville project, and we’ll be looking at where Berryville shops.
It seems Berryville has always had plenty of places to shop.
In the 1930s, there were several grocery stores in town. One was Carr’s Cash Grocery on the edge of the square, next to where Farmer in the Deli is today. This was separate from Carr’s Dry Goods, also on the square. Gentry’s Grocery was also on the square, near Poynor’s.
During the Depression, many of these local grocery stores advertised in the local Star-Progress paper to emphasize that they were cash only.In fact, in January 1934, Carr’s ran a huge ad announcing their transition from a credit and delivery model to a cash and carry one. It included the motto “Pay cash and save the difference,” which recurs in multiple Carr’s Cash Grocery ads, and advertises specials that include 20 pounds of pure cane sugar for 95 cents, a 1 pound can of Hershey’s cocoa powder for 19 cents, and Palmolive soap for 5 cents.
The stores also seemed to work together when needed. For instance, in April 1934, the paper ran a notice announcing that several local grocery stores, including Carr’s and Gentry’s, would maintain the same hours on weekdays, 7 am-6:30 pm.
Berryville also had a range of drug stores and pharmacies at this time, with Poynor’s and Berryville Drug both on the square.
By the time the 1970s rolled around, just as in other places across the United States, shopping had started to move from smaller specialized groceries to larger supermarket type stores and away from public squares.
In the 1960s, one of the original Walton’s stores opened in what is now the Williams Shopping Center a bit west of the square. By the 1970s, it had become a WalMart. Also in the Shopping Center was a Williams Supermarket. The supermarket had originally been located on the square before moving to this location.
But Poynor’s and Berryville Drug remained on the square, though, in 1940, Berryville Drug had moved a few doors down from its original location.
Today, we head west of the square for most of our major shopping. Our WalMart SuperCenter, which opened in 1993, is near the western edge of town. The Williams Supermarket location is now a Harter House, which opened in 2019. When I was a kid in the 90s–typing that sentence makes me feel old–it was a Price Cutter.
Last fall also saw the addition of some long-desired national chains, all settling in the west. We got a Tractor Supply (west of WalMart) in October and a TJ Maxx (east of WalMart) in November. I enjoyed visiting both stores in their opening weeks and there may now be a running joke at the library about how many Dutch ovens I have bought at TJ Maxx in the past 2 months. 😊 But that’s enough about me.
Berryville Drug has since closed, but Poynor’s is still on the square and going strong. It and the WalMart Pharmacy are the only two pharmacies in town open to the public currently.
And the square now has some new life in the form of small, local shops with unique finds. For great used books, check out It’s a Mystery Bookstore. It has been open on the square since 2008. Into fiber? Check out Hardcastle Folk Art for all sorts of fanciful creations and fiber art supplies (plus antiques). Hardcastle Folk Art relocated to the square from Eureka Springs about six years ago. New on the square in 2025 is Evergreen Pasture & Provisions, a farm store where every product sold is raised or made within 50 miles of Berryville.
Now it’s your turn. We really want to hear your Berryville shopping tales. (We’ll pay you in OOPs credit if you share some in January!) So. . . .
You can answer the prompts at our collection station in the library or feel free to email us your responses and any pictures you have from the 1930s, 1970s, and now at celebrateberryville@gmail.com.
Learn more about Celebrate Berryville on our landing page!
Questions about the OOPs credit? Just call the library or stop by the desk to ask staff for more details.
The following sources were especially helpful for researching this article:
Ray Hanley and Diane Hanley. Carroll and Boone Counties (Postcard History Series). Charleston, SC: Arcadia Publishing, 1999.
Rachel Silva. “Walk Through History: Downtown Berryville.” Arkansas Historic
Preservation Program. May 16, 2015. https://www.arkansasheritage.com/docs/default-source/ahpp-documents/sandwiching-tour-scripts/berryville-tour-script-2015b611f167-35b1-4d6a-a67b-5b2ee0a0ccd5.pdf?sfvrsn=8095d8f2_5
Star-Progress (Berryville, AR). Carr’s Cash Grocery ad. January 4, 1934.
Star-Progress (Berryville, AR). “Notice to Public!” April 12, 1934. (Lists 7 grocery stores–Ellis, Carr’s, Wilton, Bunch, Gentry, Harris, Perkins-Clark)
Star-Progress (Berryville, AR). Start to Finish Chick Mash promotional ad. April 24, 1930. (Lists 8 grocery stores in Berryville where a bulletin is available–Red Star, Carr, Perkins, Sparks, Gentry, Bunch, Ellis, Tabor).
Berryville Book Buzz 