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For 89 years (1917 – 2006) the Betts Family has been involved in or running a business.
In 1917, Charles Betts built the first of 5 stores that the family business operated as a general store . In 1930 the original store burnt down and Marple W. Betts rebuilt the second store that same year. The third store consisted of renovating and expanding of the second sore in 1945. The fourth store was built in 1968 and opened as a Save Easy grocery store by William Betts and in 1969 Marple and William added a Home Hardware Store to the Save Easy store.
In 1985 William built the new Save Easy Supermarket on the north side of Route 8. The Home Hardware Store expanded into the old Save Easy grocery store the same year.
Betts remembers old stores
For some people, the opening of the new Save-Easy in Doaktown means a bigger and better place to shop, but to Marple Betts, it means the fifth store built in the history of his family business.
For 70 years (l9l7-l986) Marple Betts has been involved in, or running a business.
In l9l7, the first store was built by his father, Charles Betts, and operated as a general store.
In l930, the original store burnt down and the second store was rebuilt in the same year, Betts said.
In l945, the third store consisted of renovating and expansion of the previous one, he said looking at pictures of the older stores.
"I cut a lot of logs and hammered quite a few nails form the first store right down the line", he said.
In l985, the third store was torn down. "It was a shame to see something like that being torn down", Betts said.
Good Memroies
"Something like that has a lot of good memories but things have to go".
The former Save-Easy, located beside Cowie’s Esso, was built in l968 and now with the construction of the new Save-Easy completed, many memories of years gone past come crowding into Betts’ mind.
"All the five stores were built in generally the same location", he said showing me pictures of the stores.
Betts said the differences in stores today and the ones back then are many. "Stores at that time didn"t have air conditioning and heat reclaim systems", he said laughing.
"The aisles are a lot wider in this store than in the previous one and this will give everyone a chance to catch up on the gossip while grocery shopping".
Betts said there are so many different lines today. "I remember going to work in the morning and unpacking boxes of bulk food".
"Everything came in bulk then. Molasses came in 90 gallon barrels, raisins came in 60 lb. barrels and so did dates".
Of course, Betts said, you could get things in bags, but it was a lot more expensive.
"Everything in those days was bought with credit, which could be and was a headache", he said.
"You never knew when you would be paid. You just had to trust that the customers would be good to their word.
Marple was l3 years old when his father built the first store and when he first got involved he was l4.
"After I married at the age of l9, I became more active in the business, but my father still kept active too".
Betts said in about l942 or l943, his son Billy Betts, who presently runs the business, took over the general managing of the store.
Increases of l,000 per cent
When asked about the differences in prices from then and now, he said some things have increased l,000 percent.
"I remember one day", he said grinning, "I came home from work and my wife asked me how we did that day". I told her we made $4.78 and she asked me what we would do? "I told her we would just keep at it and hope that things begin to get better".
Betts said it was a lot of hard work in those days. "There were no set store hours".
I remember coming home from church some Sunday mornings and there would be seven or eight people sitting outside the store, waiting to get in because they needed something.
He said there were quite a few general stores at that time – some that he recalls are Mrs. Cumming’s, Holmes Warehouse, Hildebrand"s General Store, Bill Bamford’s and Murray Price’s.
"We had a lot of competition at one time, but then it seemed to fade away", he said.
"We offered great service at our general store. We used to deliver anything at all".
"We always had a delivery truck on the go, practically steady".
One year, Betts said, they had l04 people on the payroll. That included all different types of jobs throughout the year – eight in the store, four in the garage and 2l camps to supply, from McGivney to Renous.
Busy Saturday Nights
During the interview, Betts went to the basement to retrieve an old ledger from days ago. As he leafed through it he said, "Saturday nights were pretty busy nights when we usually made $l7 to $20 a night".
Most of the names in this old journal are all dead now", he said turning the pages.
Betts said when he went to school, he attended the "Big" school which is now the Primary School. "One hundred and four of the people I went to school with have passed away", said Betts who is 82 years old.
He said there were always ups and downs in the business, but there was always a big man or supplier in each village. "In Boiestown it was McCloskey’s and in Blackville it was Shaffner’s.
When Betts was asked if he spent much time over at the new Save-Easy, he said "not too much. I take a walk over every now and then. Sometimes I pick up the boxes for the boys while they are stocking the shelves".
Welcome to Betts Home Hardware
WE ARE HERE!
Two Locations
420 Main St., Doaktown, NB, E9C 1E7
Phone: 506-365-7888, Fax: 506-365-7700
&
80 Main St., Blackville, NB E9B 1N4
Phone: 506-843-7955, Fax: 506-843-7948
or Email sales@bettshomehardware.com | 
