Roberts Grocery

 Roberts Grocery got its start in 1946 when Mr. Eli Roberts purchased the store from Allie Peed. The store everyone knew and loved sold to new owners in 2009. The beloved Roberts Grocery served the community of Sharpsburg for 63 years. 

During a chat with Rob Lane, the grandson of Eli and Mary McClure Roberts, I learned how the small town grocery came to be.

Eli Roberts began his life long career in the grocery business when he was 14 years old. He started out as a clerk for Mr. Ollie Knight, he also worked as a clerk for Mr. R.L. Brown and later Mr. Allie Peed.

After Eli and Mary were married in 1925, the couple moved to Indianapolis where he took a job working for the Standard Grocery Company. Although his mother and her sister were living in Indianapolis at the time, Eli and Mary became homesick and moved back to Sharpsburg. After his return home he went to work for his father in-law, Mr. Johnny McClure at Sherburne. 

While working at the Sherburne store, Allie Peed told him he could come back to work for him anytime he wished, but Eli said he would only come back to work at his store when he could own it. 

In 1946 he did just that. 

Eli and Mary Roberts are shown above inside Roberts Grocery, taken in the early 1950s.

Left to right are Mary Bell Hardin, Mary Roberts, Grace Grimes, Eli Roberts , unknown young man, and Eli's son, Mr. Billy Roberts. Mid 1950s.

Photo taken by Rob Lane in the early 1970s. Rob started working for his grandfather when he was only nine years old and made 1.50 a day and continued to work until he graduated from high school.