Stroud's Mercantile facts for kids

Stroud's Mercantile was a popular department store in Rogers, Arkansas. It was also known as Stroud's Department Store. When it closed in 1993, Stroud's was the oldest family-owned store that had been open without stopping in Arkansas.

The building where Stroud's was located from 1899, at 114-116 West Walnut Street, is a special historical place. It is part of the National Register of Historic Places. Two homes that belonged to the Stroud family are also on this list. One is the Stroud House from Rogers, which was moved to Pea Ridge, Arkansas. The other is the Stroud House in Bentonville, Arkansas.

The Story of Stroud's Mercantile

The Stroud family's first store was in Pea Ridge, Arkansas. It was owned by Allen Bryant Stroud and his son, Harlan Lafayette (H.L.) Stroud. They started this business before 1879. Allen Stroud even worked as the postmaster in Pea Ridge for a while.

How Stroud's Came to Rogers

In 1884, H.L. Stroud sold his share of the Pea Ridge store. He then bought a dry goods store in Rogers, Arkansas. This new store was at the corner of First and Walnut Streets. In 1887, H.L. asked his brother, Alonzo Bryant Stroud, to manage the new business.

In 1891, H.L. Stroud moved his store to a new spot on Walnut Street. The business kept growing. So, in 1899, H.L. built a special brick building at 114-116 West Walnut Street. Stroud's Mercantile stayed in this building for the next 94 years!

New Owners and the Store's Later Years

After Stroud's became a big part of Rogers, H.L. Stroud left the store. He moved with his family to St. Louis, Missouri and later to Kansas City, Missouri. His brother, Alonzo Stroud, who was now a co-owner, took charge. Alonzo managed the store until he retired in 1949.

After Alonzo retired, the Stroud family sold the business. Harold J. Wardlaw and a group of investors bought it. Harold Wardlaw had actually started working at Stroud's when he was a senior at Rogers High School in the 1920s.

Stroud's was the main shopping spot in Rogers until the 1960s. But in 1962, Sam Walton opened the first Walmart store just seven blocks away. Also, more and more people started shopping at malls and shopping centers instead of downtown stores. These changes slowly made Stroud's lose customers. Finally, after 109 years, the beloved store closed its doors forever in 1993.

Stroud's: A Store That Led the Way

Even though Stroud's seemed old-fashioned when it closed in 1993, it was very modern in its early days. This was especially true when Alonzo Stroud was in charge.

What Made Stroud's Special?

Stroud's was the first store in northwest Arkansas to hire women as sales clerks. One of these women was Betty Blake, who later married the famous humorist Will Rogers.

Alonzo Stroud also made some other big changes:

• He did not allow smoking inside the store.
• He paid all the store's bills as soon as they arrived.
• He put price tags on all items. Before this, people would often bargain over prices. Stroud's made shopping simpler and fairer for everyone.