A History of Grocery Stores in P.A.

In the Henderson’s Directory for 1925, 23 grocers were listed. Most often these grocers were listed by first and last name only. It was not uncommon to go into your local store and have a well established relationship with the owner and the workers.

My interest in grocery stores of the past was spurred by a request for information I received asking for a photograph of Turner’s Grocery. As I discovered by a quick check of the museum’s collection of Henderson’s Directories, Turner’s operated out of 441 River Street W from 1938 to 1975, always owned by the same two Turner’s.

I asked another long time Prince Albert resident if she remembered the store, because it was a mystery to me. She did remember the store and told me during the 1950’s and 1960’s there were similar family stores every two to three blocks.

As the city grew larger chain stores came to Prince Albert and grocery shopping became a more impersonal affair.

The 1991 Henderson’s no longer listed grocer’s by name, just by the store name (something that often went unmentioned in previous issues).

Twenty nine grocery stores were listed; however, it is important to note that by today’s supermarket standards at least eight would not be considered grocery stores, rather small confectionaries.

Furthermore, these Henderson’s show that fewer grocery stores were now serving a much increased population, indicating the size of the average grocery store had expanded considerably.

Allison McQueen

by Historical Society

A History of Grocery Stores in P.A.

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