By Dale Welch
Before the days of big-box chains and self-checkout lanes, grocery shopping in Monterey was a deeply personal experience—rooted in relationships, routines, and the rhythm of small-town life. From bustling general stores lining Commercial Avenue to family-run markets that knew your name and your favorite cut of meat, Monterey’s grocery history tells a story of resilience, community, and change. In this post, we’ll explore how these humble storefronts helped shape the town’s identity and continue to echo through its streets today.
Ford’s Grocery/Buckner’s Grocery/Pete’s Grocery/Guate-Mex
Poplar St. at W. Commercial
Bethel and Florence Ford had operated a small country grocery store in Cliff Springs, near Muddy Pond, in Overton County, before moving to Monterey. Bethel had grown up in the grocery business, as his parents, Sam A. and Lora Ford had operated a country store next to the railroad tracks in Lovejoy, also in Overton County.
Moving to Monterey, in the 1940s, the Ford’s opened a grocery store on the northwest corner of W. Commercial Ave. and N. Poplar St. Bethel was innovative in that he would do giveaways and contest. He gave away the first color TV, and he even had a place in the back where he had two men work on them.
When the Ford’s retired, they sold their business to Coy Buckner, a longtime employee, who operated it for almost 11 years. When he started to work for the Ford’s, Coy would walk all the way from Anderson Rd. and back, unless his Uncle Jake Buckner was in town and give him a ride ack home. Buckner kept up the giveaways, even giving away a car one time. Kevin and Robin Peters operated the store as “Pete’s Grocery for a while; and then, a Hispanic store, Guate-Mex, was at the location awhile. Buckner sold the building in 2016. It is now a part of the One Bank of Tennessee headquarters.
Bowers Grocery Store
109 & 111 W. Commercial Ave.
In about 1924, C. A. Bower and his son, Roy, opened and operated C. A. Bower and Son Grocery and Five and Dime at 109 and 111 W. Commercial Ave., respectively. The five and dime was operated by Roy’s wife, Edna. Two of her sisters, Mary Ruth and Dora Lee Swallows, were hired as clerks. The inventory consisted of notions, a line of ladies apparel and toys. The grocery operation featured a full line of edibles, fruits and vegetables and fresh meats with Roy serving as butcher. at the very back of the store. It was also Roy’s job to hose down the floor of the meat department at the close of business each day.
A & E Feed Store/Roberts Grocery & Feeds
112 W. Commercial Ave.
Sam Allen and Charles Eldridge owned and operated A & E Feed Store on W. Commercial beginning in the 1920s. Ben Roberts, who had been an employee, and wife, Burks, bought the store after 1960. Ben and Burks added more grocery items to the floor plan as the years went by. While still offering feed for livestock, the store operated into the late 1970s.
Vaden’s Grocery
113 W. Commercial Ave.
Paul and Annette (Howard) Vaden operated a grocery store from the late 1940s until the early 1980s. After they died, the building fell into disrepair. Jon and Lindsey Phillips bought the building on Sept. 17, 2019, and dramatically transformed the dilapidated structure into the showpiece “Simply Divine” Salon that it is today.
W.A. Horn
103 W. Commercial Ave.
William Albert Horn and wife, Grace had a general merchandise store that carried a line of groceries from before 1910 and into the 1940s.
Bilbrey Brothers/King’s Grocery/E & L Market
Commercial Ave.
Sometime in the early 1950s, Ray King owned King’s Grocery, and his brother Robert owned the Imperial Hotel. Somewhere along the way, they decided to swap. The first grocery store that World War II U.S. Navy veteran Robert King, and his wife, Betty, owned was in the Arcade building (next door to the old Goff Drug Store). The Kings had a full line of groceries promoting weekly sales. They would cut meat to order. Several people would stop by everyday just to hang out and have a Coke and learn the latest news…and gossip.
When the King’s retired, they sold the business to Ed and Lucille Phipss, who changed the name to E & L Market. The business was run by Lucille, her son, Tony, and daughter, Barbara Reed.
Pugh’s Grocery
Corner of E. Commercial Ave. and S. Holly St.
Ed and Irene Wilcox Pugh were married on May 27, 1923, and soon started a family and their grocery store, located on the Southeast corner of E. Commercial Ave. and S. Holly St. The space had been previously the first building that housed the Bank of Monterey (now One Bank).
The Pugh’s, along with daughters Billie Ruth (McDonald) and Emma Sue (Tudor) spent many hours at the store. One innovation they had started was to keep the store open a couple of hours longer on Saturdays so customers working long hours would have time to get their groceries.
Mr. Pugh also had other side businesses inside the grocery store. He opened “Mountain Printer,” a print shop that printed everything from business cards and menus to wedding and graduation announcements. Upstairs, Puch had a clock and watch repair shop. He also bought ginseng at the store.
When Mrs. Pugh died, Lloyd Tudor, the father-in-law of daughter Emma Sue was hired to help at the grocery. Ed closed the grocery store in 1971. From then on, you could find him in his woodshop at home making furniture, picture frames and such.
A.J. Riddle Grocery
105 E. Commercial Ave.
J. Riddle owned and operated Riddle’s Grocery at 105 E. Commercial Ave.
A.L. Gracey Feed Store
113 E. Commercial Ave.
Alonzo “Lon” Gracey ran a feed store that had a line of groceries. He operated the store from around 1910-1947. The building no longer exists. It was in the parking lot of The Vine Church, just north of the Monterey Depot Museum.
Hollis McCloud Grocery
600 Block E. Railroad Ave.
Hollis and Roxie (Farley) McCloud opened a grocery store around 1950, shortly after they married, in 1948. The store was a block to the east of Black Bottom Baseball field. Roxie died in 1958, but Hollis continued until his death in March. 1976 at the age of 74.
Evertt “Ebb” Steele Grocery
Chestnut St. at Buckner Rd.
Evertt “Ebb” Stelle and wife, Linnie ran a grocery store on the corner of N. Chestnut St. and Buckner Rd., where the present-day Monterey Apostolic Church is located. It operated as a grocery store from 1958 and on for about seven years. Afterwards it became a TV repair shop, a rag store, and an apartment before becoming a church.
Ford Grocery
1020 N. Chestnut St.
Sam A. and Laura (Phillips) Ford had operated a grocery near the railroad tracks in the Overton County community of Lovejoy, begore moving to Monterey. Their store was located near the entrance of what is now Wonderwood Apartments.
Fritts Grocery
Chestnut St. at Minnie Ave.
From the 1950s into the mid-1970s, Bill and Lucille (Philips) Fritts, along with Lucille’s mother, Ida Phillips ran the store. It was located on the northeast corner of N. Chestnut St. and Minnie Ave.
Carl’s Market
702 N. Chestnut
Carl and Bernice Buckner ran Carl’s Market as a grocery store from the 1980’s to the early 2000s. The store, on the northeast corner of N. Chestnut St. and Lewis Ave. Besides Carl and Bernice, Carl’s sisters Anna Bucknner and Marie Looper were standards as the store. Under new owners, it is now operated as more of a convenience -type store.
Hall’s Grocery
N, Chestnut Ave. & Louis
Luther and Martha Miller Hall ran a grocery next to their home on the southwest corner of N. Chestnut St. and W. Lewis Ave.
Maggie Bohannon Grocery
610 N. Elm St.
Maggie (Vaden) Bohannon operated a community store on the southeast corner of N. Elm St. and E. Louis Ave. from the 1960s into the 1970s.
Save-A-Lot
201 N. Elmore St.
Opened in 1994, Houchens Industries, of Bowling Green, KY is the franchise owner of the Monterey Save-A-Lot. Houchens currently owns over 14 companies operating in various industries including retail, manufacturing, construction, and insurance. In addition, Houchens and affiliates generate an annual revenue of more than $4B. For over 30 years, they have been employee-owned through an ESOP and currently have over 19,000 ESOP participants.
Eldridge Grocery Store
Mary Ethel Eldridge ran a community grocery store at the intersection of S. Elm St. and E. Stewart Ave. at the southeast corner. They always had a good stock of those rainbow coconut bars.
Parsons’ Grocery Store
Minnie Parsons owned and operated Parsons’ Grocery located at the intersection of S. Chestnut St. and E. Railroad Ave. on the southeast corner. Parsons had the store from sometime in the 1930s until sometime in the mid-1960s, while her husband, Bryaqn, worked for the railroad. When the shirt factory opened across from the store, it was a boom to her business. Workers would cross the street to buy snacks and sandwiches. The front counter in the Monterey Depot Museum is the same counter that was in her store.
Farley Grocery Store
803 S. Holly St.
Charley and Ada Mae (Sparks) Farley ran the store in the late 1940s and 1950s. Charley was also the town’s police chief for a time. At one point, in the 1960s, Dave Wilson operated the store as a parts store. Billy Joe Officer also ran it as a parts store.
Brown Grocery Store
804 S. Holly St.
Rev. Enoch and wife, Mary Alice (Phillips) Brown operated a grocery store on S. Holly St. in the 1940s and 1950s. The store was located where the Convenience Mart is now and next to what was there home Afterward, the Bright Burger built on the location before the Convenience Mart was opened.
Harvey’s ICA/Gary’s ICA/Earl’s IGA, Brown’s Galaxy/Monterey Foods
After leasing Rosby King’s store at the eastern end of Stratton Ave, Harvey Nabors and son, James opened a new store at the western end of Stratton Ave., in the early 1970s, The store had been closed for over a year when it was purchased by Gary and Patrica Ledbetter after they moved from Ohio, in 1975, In Nov., 1979, Earl aand Edith Patterson operated the store as Earl’s IGA until Nov., 1981. Beecher and Joyce Brown, who were operating a grocery store in Rickman took it over and operated it as Brown’s Galaxy.
In Oct 2001, Danny and Gina (Miller) Todd became the owners of Monterey Foods. The current owners, the Todds, are known for their quality of meats, produce and affordable prices. They are also known for their community involvement, which makes them “your hometown store.
Matthews Grpcery/Rosby King’s Grocery/Nabors Grocery/Monterey Food Center
Sometime after 1940, James Bertie Mathews, a World Warran moved to Monterey and built a store on Stratton Ave., but by 1948, he sold it to his nephew, Rosby, and his wife Emogene (Lee) King. The store was in the front rooms and the family lived in the back. Later, Emogene’s father, Earl Cunningham Lee constructed a better store for them. When it came time to retire, instead of leasing it to his sons Johnny and Jimmy (Jimmy was his butcher), he leased it for a brief time to Church of God of Prophecy Rev. Harvey Nabors. Nabors kept it for a while but built his own store. Wayne and Marion Wright leased to own the store after that for many years until the early 2000. It was bought by a Baxter couple, but because of a bad manager they had hired, it was shut down. In 2009, Joe Wilmoth purchased property. He demolished the store building and built the hotel which stands there today.