Harps Food Stores, Inc. is an American regional chain of supermarkets based in Springdale, Arkansas. The company operates 151 supermarkets located in the U.S. states of Arkansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Kansas, Mississippi, and Louisiana.[2]
The company sells both groceries and sporting goods in some larger stores, with several locations also incorporating pharmacies and gas stations. In addition to its flagship Harps brand, the company also operates grocery stores under four banners: Food4Less,[3] in southwest Missouri (under license from brand owner Kroger); CashSaver in Tulsa; 10Box Cost-Plus;[4] Warehouse Market in Tulsa; and The Markets in Louisiana and Mississippi. The company additionally operates a franchise of Ace Hardware in Charleston, Arkansas, Jay, Oklahoma, and Dexter, Missouri.
History
Harps Food Stores was founded by Harvard and Floy Harp in 1930.[5] In 2001, Harps became employee-owned after buying company shares from the Harp family. The stores are supplied by Kansas City, Kansas-based Associated Wholesale Grocers.[6] The company is valued around $550 million, and employed 5,300 people as of 2020.[7] The company announced plans on March 11, 2020, to expand further throughout northern Arkansas and southeastern Missouri, with an acquisition of 20 additional store locations from Fredericktown, Missouri-based Town and Country Grocers.[8]
HARPS Marketplace store c. 2007 - Fort Smith, ArkansasStorefront of Harps Food Store in De Soto, Kansas
