At the height of the Great Depression, our country faced more economic, political, and social volatility than ever before. What started as a whimpering finish to the Roaring Twenties only grew softer and more strained in the early 1930s. There was perhaps no worse time in American history to start a business, and perhaps no worse place than Arkansas: a heavily agrarian state extremely high in poverty and almost entirely rural.
During this time, a husband and wife named Harvard and Floy Harp lived in Springdale. They only had $500 to their name. Taking that small sum of money, they decided to start a grocery store.
If you’ve never heard of Harps Food Stores before, I’d have a hard time believing you’re from around here. Just about everywhere you go, you can find one. And everywhere you find one, you can trust that beyond the sliding doors is everything you could ask for in groceries, customer service, and small-town sensibility. Even more, those big green letters remind us that some of the greatest successes sprout from humble beginnings, especially when those beginnings aren’t forgotten.
Many of you may be familiar with the story of Harps. Harvard and Floy opened what was originally known as “Harp’s Cash Grocery” at the intersection of Emma Avenue and Water Street. The building, while no longer here, was the first way Harps served the local community—and in one of the most difficult times it has ever faced.
That one store grew to around 40 by the early 2000s and 78 by 2014. Today, there are 160 stores across six states: Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Mississippi, Louisiana, and Kansas. Despite the growth, all of them aim to maintain the same one-store feel of friendly smiles, welcoming hellos, and sense of goodwill that went into the first.
In every location, these stores go further by supporting local farms and producers, partnering with local schools, working with local food banks, and encouraging employees to join local organizations. All the while, they promote personal interactions within these communities, sharing with the rest of the world the love they found in Springdale.
This starts, first and foremost, with their employees. One of their company philosophies is to grow people from within, allowing that growth to work its way out into the community through them.
In 2001, the company implemented an ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan). This means that every store associate is an owner, deepening ties to the company’s mission, purpose, and character. Every success for the company is a success for the employee and vice versa. That connection is shown through the tenure of those who work there—few less than three years, some as many as thirty, and many even longer.
The path of current CEO and Chairman of the Board at Harps, Kim Eskew, illustrates this connection. From a humble background in Piggott, Arkansas, Kim became a student at the UofA by 1977. As a student, he worked part-time at Harps as a bagger, stocker, and cashier. Following college, he continued moving through positions as an assistant store manager, store manager, and district manager, which ultimately led him to where he is now.
Importantly, as the company has expanded, it has sought to never forget its roots in Springdale. In cultivating a feeling of home, it also cultivates a feeling of Springdale—and brings its successes back to the local community.
Sarah Thacker, Director of Marketing and Advertising, said this: “Thank you for trusting a hometown company for over 95 years. We don’t take that lightly. We’re excited to continue to grow, improve, innovate, and serve our customers with that same small-town care that first started this company in 1930.”
In Springdale, local suppliers such as Magara Farms are supported by Harps. Consistent community partnerships also keep Harps involved with local schools, food banks, and non-profits like the Downtown Springdale Alliance.
“When you love local, the whole region thrives,” Sarah said.
And because of places like Harps, we do.
In cultivating a feeling of home, it also cultivates a feeling of Springdale, bringing its successes back to the local community.