Bentley Brother's Grocery

Written by Brenda S. Bear (brendasbear@gmail.com). Please do not copy or share my writing without my permission. Thank you for reading my stories.

One of my most cherished childhood memories growing up in Lewis County is of a small, country store called Bentley Brothers Grocery. It was late fall, tobacco stripping season, and my parents would go to Bentley’s and pick up a big roll of Kahn’s bologna, the kind wrapped in the bright red plastic sleeve, along with a couple loaves of white bread and a pack of cold Pepsi in glass bottles. Dad would hand us a thick slice of bologna wrapped in bread, and we were given a short break to eat before getting back to the long hours of stripping tobacco.

The memories of my visits to Bentley Brothers Grocery as a child are intertwined with the history of the store itself, a place that has been the heart of the community for generations. The story of Bentley’s begins long before my visits, in the late 1940s, when Orville Bentley’s father, John V. Bentley, opened the small store in downtown Garrison. Orville grew up in the store, learning the trade early on, and eventually, he and his wife, June, took the reins of the family business. Over the years, they added on to the building to accommodate the growing needs of the community.

Bentley Brothers was the kind of store that seemed to have everything you might need. It wasn’t just a grocery store, it was the heart of the community, a place where you could find everything from food, fabric, and toys to tools hardware and kerosene. They even sold their own ground coffee in 5-pound burlap bags.

One of the favorite parts of the store was the coal stove that sat toward the back. Many of life’s problems were solved sitting on an apple crate around that stove, whether it was the retired men with nowhere to go or delivery drivers needing to warm their bones on a cold winter’s day. I can still remember the creak of the old wooden floors beneath my feet as I wandered through the aisles, each step a reminder of the days when life felt simpler, slower, and we were all connected.

As I spoke with Lisa and Dale, two of Orville and June’s children, I learned more about the store’s deeper significance to the family and the community. Lisa shared her memories of Christmas at Bentley’s, which she described as ‘magical and big time,’ filled with homemade candies, peppermint sticks, and the excitement of toys piled high on the shelves. Dale added that every Christmas Eve, the men would come in to buy bananas, oranges, and apples, while the women would shop for baking supplies and shoes for their children. There was something about that time of year at Bentley’s that made it feel like the whole world was a little kinder, a little brighter.

Dale also told me a touching story about grocery deliveries. Many families would come to the store to buy several weeks’ worth of groceries, often needing them delivered because they didn’t have cars. He recalled one particular delivery where he had to cross a creek with a truck full of groceries. When he arrived at the two-story house, he saw little white-haired children peeking around the corner, eagerly awaiting both the much-needed food and the company. It’s these quiet, tender moments that remind you how deeply Bentley’s was part of the community.

In the 1980s, tragedy struck when the store caught fire. The coal stove, overfilled on a cold, 20-degree night, ignited and sent flames through the building. It was a devastating blow to the community that had depended on Bentley’s for decades. But even fire couldn’t destroy the heart of Bentley’s. The store was rebuilt quickly, and reopened in 1983—stronger, more resilient, and ready to serve the community once again.

Luke Bentley Jr., Orville’s cousin, shared another touching story with me. He spoke of how Orville ran a “tab” for many of his customers, especially the farmers who were paid only once a year after the tobacco harvest. In the spring, when the tobacco was sold, farmers would come in to pay off their bills. Orville would always greet them with a smile and offer them a hard candy as they settled their accounts. Luke laughed as he recalled that as soon as the farmers paid off their bill, they’d start a new one, charging their groceries for the coming months. “People depended on that store,” Luke told me. “It was the only way they were going to make it. Orville carried them through hard times.” Orville knew everyone by name, treated them like family, and his customers returned that loyalty in kind. As Lisa says, “Dad believed the customer was always right. He knew them all by name and he cared about each one.”

Dale shared how, as a boy, he would come home from school and help stock the shelves with cans of Vienna sausage and potted meat. Orville would set them aside for him because they were small and easy to lift. Lisa added that all their relatives worked in the store at some point, and it was a place that brought the family together. “There was a closeness of family,” she said, reflecting on how the store created bonds that stretched beyond just business.

Orville Bentley ran Bentley Brothers Grocery for nearly 67 years, leaving an indelible mark on the community. After his passing, June kept the store running for another two years, a testament to their shared dedication. Even today, the store continues to stand as a living monument to Orville and June's legacy. The building is across from Garrison Elementary School. The words Bentley Bros. Grocery in fading red paint and the old Pepsi sign still hanging on the front of the brick building.

Orville and June were married for 57 years. Today, Orville and June Bentley have three daughters and one son, fourteen grandchildren, thirty-one great-grandchildren, and four great-great-grandchildren. Their daughter, Lisa, and her husband, Terry, have lovingly restored the interior of Bentley Brothers Grocery, ensuring that the legacy of Bentley Brothers Grocery will continue for many more generations. It’s more than just a store—it’s a piece of history, a keeper of memories, and a reminder of what Orville and June Bentley built and created together.