H.L. Stroud had this structure built in 1899 at 114-116 West Walnut to house his ever-expanding mercantile business, which had been in operation at other locations in Rogers since 1884. Strouds Mercantile was the first Rogers business to hire a female salesclerk, which induced many other women to join the sales force, including Mrs. Will (Betty Blake) Rogers.
Strouds was also the first store in Northwest Arkansas to mark merchandise in “plain figures” (previously there were no price tags; buyer and seller had to bargain over the merchandise). Strouds went out of business in 1993, having served the Rogers area for 109 years.
A number of businesses had offices upstairs, including the Farmers Mutual Insurance Company (organized in 1909 in Little Flock), Drs. A.M. Jordon, C.A. Rice, and R.S. Rice, and the architectural firm of A.O. Clarke, who designed many buildings in Rogers, Monte Ne, and Northwest Arkansas.
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The Stroud Building in 1957.
Courtesy of Betty Crum. Neg. #N000973.