The Past
Businesses
Churches
Communities
~ Enderby
~ Grindrod
~ Hupel
~ Kingfisher/
Mabel Lake
~ Mara
~ ~ General
History
~ ~ John Andrew
Mara
~ ~ Homesteaders
~ ~ Interview
Gray&Boswell
~ ~ Post Office
~ ~ Mara School
~ ~ Mara Bridge
~ ~ Mara Stores
~ ~ Relief
Camps
~ ~ Sawmills and
Logging
~ ~ Churches
~ ~ Community
Hall
~ ~ Provincial
Park
~ Population
Community Services
Entertainment
Ethnic Groups
Geography
Heritage Homes
Industries
Organizations
People
Schools
Transportation
Mara's population was
increasing in 1900 so Mara required a local store. Mr. and Mrs. Samuel D. Hines opened the
first store on the west side of the river, across from the present day Mara Hall. Also,
Mr. Hines built a large home, which would serve as a hotel.
Also, at the turn of the century a store was built on the east side of the river. The
store, which was run by Mr. Elston, but owned by Mr. Gray, and was a feed supply and a
store. This shop operated until 1921.
Another store was also operating in the early century. This one was owned and operated by
Major and Mrs. Fielden. This store was at the present day Maple's Village Tea House.
Though there were two other stores in Mara the one on the west side of the river remained
opened the longest. Some of the owners of this store were; Hines, Groves, Butterworths,
Wheeler, Ford, Tompkinson, Meeres, McCready, Peterson, Robertson, Keswick, Cross, and
Bruice.
Then in 1953 Mr. and Mrs. Marshall bought the Mara store. This couple operated the store
for about fifteen years, then the merchandise was sold. The buyers were Mr. and Mrs. John
Stadnyk, who built a new store on the east side of the river, at the present day site of
the Mara Foodliner.
There were several owners after this, until 1975 when the store was closed down for about
two years. In 1977 Mr. Dave Scrivens re-opened the Foodliner. After this there have been
several different owners of the Mara store.
Dawn Gerlib, Niels Konge, Kurt Schubert
ALF School, 1989