Reston’s Historic Grocery Store - 118 Years and Counting

I am very pleased to share the story of Reston’s local grocery store thanks to pictures and clippings loaned to me by Verna and John Olenick. Now known as Reston Fine Foods and owned for the past 32 years by Murray and Brenda Anderson, it has a remarkable history. First time visitors never fail to notice the two-storey stone building on Main Street aka Fourth Street.  The tin tile ceiling inside gives a hint to how it looked when it was first built by G. S. Munro in 1902. Homesteaders, immigrants, long time residents and visitors have entered the doorway looking to stock their cupboards and clothe and feed their families. The store has stood through Main Street fires, parades, epidemics, war years, prosperity and depression. I've often looked up at the building trying to imagine the skill and engineering required by the stone mason William Albert Pierce (1866-1916) and building crew. The red granite sections of stone were cut from rock near the former Kinloss School, south of Reston.

Store Window Displays - Perhaps in 1939 during the Royal Tour of Canada

George Simon Munro (1865-1934) had been hired to work in Reston in 1893 as manager of a branch of Wilcox Store of Virden. This first shop was directly south of the present store. It was later used as a bake shop, ice cream parlour and barber shop with apartments upstairs until it burnt in 1934.  George reportedly enjoyed the town and marrying Catherine (Kate) Campbell in 1894 saw him put down roots.  They didn’t have children of their own but contributed greatly to their community in many ways. He began a company “Merchants Consolidated Limited” which helped small town grocery stores band together to improve their buying power and get better deals for their customers while still independently owning the store. The couple moved to Winnipeg as part of this new venture but his name remained on the store through the years as it was run by new owners and managers.

The Reston Recorder announced that electricity was first turned on in the store on a Saturday night in January of 1915.  Shopping in the dark corners was a thing of the past and the view from the street outside must have been something else to residents used to dim coil oil lanterns! The clipping above about the popular hat department spring reopening was in a Recorder from March 1918.  In fact, groceries as we think of them today was not the mainstay of the store in early days.  Meat, baked goods, dairy and eggs were often not purchased at the general store but home grown or purchased from specialty businesses. Known as “dry goods”, things like clothing, hats, shoes and fabric were needed and supplied by G. S. Munro Store.  The "Amazon" of its day.

Delivery in town and in the country was fundamental to the stores success, first by horse and buggy and later by truck.  R.C. Bulloch on the left and Burt Pierce on the right are pictured with the delivery truck purchased in 1935.    It is interesting to note this service has continued through the years, offered free to anyone asking - seniors or anyone staying safe in the Pandemic of 2020. 

Second Avenue and Third Street corner around 1920 - thanks to Ashlea Laura

R.C. Bulloch was the son of Robert and Margaret (Caldwell) Bulloch who arrived in Reston from Lanark County Ontario in 1885 with his family. He was a founding shareholder of the store when it incorporated in 1902 after working for Munro since 1898, often riding his bike to work from the Bulloch farm to the northeast of town. A joint stock company was formed in 1905 with employees having the chance to be part owners. In 1927, it was made a United Store and the Solo branding began in 1953.

Beginning in 1955, a partnership of John Pearson, Burt Pierce and Gladys Slifka ran the store for many years.  Next owners were Don and Glenda Brading who christened it Glendon Solo Store in October of 1977.  Many faithful employees over the years include many students who had their first jobs at the store, including my own two sons Joel and Scott. 

Many updates were made through the years including the addition of a peaked rook in May of 1984 and a new and enlarged back room in 1994. Suites upstairs were created for renters. Interior stairs to the second floor were removed for more floor space.  A deli counter and mezzanine office were also part of the remodels. I am told the office was earlier on a raised platform on the northeast side where the floor safe still sits.  Price scanning, debit and credit machines, updated produce, dairy and frozen coolers have been gradually added to keep up with the times.  

One thing that hasn’t changed is the friendly small town service and willingness to meet the customers’ needs.  We may have taken it for granted over the years, but the Covid-19 pandemic reminds us how fortunate we are to have Murray and Brenda and the staff of Reston Fine Foods keeping us safe and fed.  

Corrections,  additions and your personal memories are always welcome to my email ssimms@escape.ca