Celebrating a Rich Heritage
THOROFARE, N.J. -- Tomorrow will mark the kickoff of an anniversary celebration for Heritage's Dairy Stores, with the chain’s first store, located in Westville Grove, N.J., acknowledging its 50th year in business with a cake-cutting ceremony and giveaways, the Gloucester County Times reported.
On Oct. 10, 1957, the Heritage's convenience chain was born out of a former deli through Harold H. "Grandpop Skeets" Heritage and his son, Harold Heritage Jr., the report stated.
After growing their dairy business significantly since its beginnings with one cow in 1930, the two wanted to develop the store to supplement the family's home delivery business and handle the volume of milk their plant was producing at the time, the report stated. They chose Westville Grove, N.J., because it was located on the outer edge of their home delivery business and wouldn't cause any conflict, the newspaper said.
The store operated from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week, and sold milk, bread, candy, cigarettes, packaged meats and groceries. The store was the first in the state to sell milk in gallon jugs and was one of its first convenience stores, the report stated.
Today, there are 36 Heritage's Dairy Stores, according to the report. As part of the celebration, each store will host an anniversary ceremony on its opening date.
"Our growth and success is something I couldn't have visualized. But we're all about people. We're in the people business," Jack Heritage, president of wholesale and secretary-treasurer of the convenience store chain, told the Gloucester County Times. Heritage is a grandson of Harold Heritage Sr.
On Oct. 10, 1957, the Heritage's convenience chain was born out of a former deli through Harold H. "Grandpop Skeets" Heritage and his son, Harold Heritage Jr., the report stated.
After growing their dairy business significantly since its beginnings with one cow in 1930, the two wanted to develop the store to supplement the family's home delivery business and handle the volume of milk their plant was producing at the time, the report stated. They chose Westville Grove, N.J., because it was located on the outer edge of their home delivery business and wouldn't cause any conflict, the newspaper said.
The store operated from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week, and sold milk, bread, candy, cigarettes, packaged meats and groceries. The store was the first in the state to sell milk in gallon jugs and was one of its first convenience stores, the report stated.
Today, there are 36 Heritage's Dairy Stores, according to the report. As part of the celebration, each store will host an anniversary ceremony on its opening date.
"Our growth and success is something I couldn't have visualized. But we're all about people. We're in the people business," Jack Heritage, president of wholesale and secretary-treasurer of the convenience store chain, told the Gloucester County Times. Heritage is a grandson of Harold Heritage Sr.