By Ben Allen

The "Allens Of Prescott" dynasty began in 1918 when Warner Hoopes Allen moved his family from Mesa, Arizona to Chino Valley. There he farmed and started a wholesale milk business. One of the older sons, Merle, decided that farming was not for him. He decided that a retail business in Prescott was a better way of earning a living. 

In 1920 Merle purchased the West End Milk Depot at 324 West Gurley (where the Book Nook is today) and in time bought the larger building just west of the West End Milk Depot known as Richard's General store. This larger business, located at 330 West Gurley (now Prescott Natural Foods), was in fact a general store dealing in groceries, stock feed and general dry goods. After the purchase, it was renamed The Allen's Market. In 1930 the store was again renamed as the Nu-Way Market.

Merle was joined in the business by two of his younger brothers, Joseph and Richard. In time the business was expanded to include two additional markets: the Sel-Rite Market at 133 North Cortez (along where the antique shops are today) and the store at 600 West Gurley which Joe bought from Merle in 1938 and it would eventually become known as The Joe Allen Market. (The original building on 600 West Gurley was torn down recently and replaced by a new building for First American Title.) Richard bought the Sel-Rite Market in 1940 which he operated for the next 6 years during WWII. Dick would eventually take over the Nu-Way Market. It wasn't long before the Nu-Way Market was selling more groceries than any other market in town. 

During the Great Depression it became necessary for the brothers to extend credit to many of their customers. It was through their generosity that many of their customers were able to make it through those dark and difficult years. 

In 1937 Merle established a wholesale grocery business in the basement of the Nu-Way Market. It soon became apparent that more room was needed for the wholesale business and he rented the old Sam Hill warehouse on north Granite Street (now part of Prescott College). This business was originally called The Allen Trading Company but would eventually become known as Thriftee Wholesale. About this time my father, Ben Allen, was hired as a truck driver and delivered groceries throughout Northern Arizona. 

During my high school days I spent each weekend and every summer helping my Dad load and unload trucks and deliver those groceries throughout Northern Arizona. 

One of the employees hired by Merle was his father Warner. Warner was very influential in the Church of Jesus Christ Latter-Day Saints in Prescott and used his income to build a new church building out of granite not far from the old building on North Marina Street. 

I can remember one summer day when I was about 13 years old, the butcher at the Sel-Rite Market asked me to walk to the Nu-Way Market and see if that butcher would loan him a "Meat Stretcher." The butcher at the Nu-Way Market sadly informed me that he had just sent it to The Joe Allen's Market. The butcher at The Joe Allen's Market (almost with tears in his eyes) sadly told me that he had just sent it back to the Nu-Way Market. It was about this time I got a lot smarter and went home to read comic books. 

During World War Two Merle expanded his wholesale business to include another large building on the north end of Mount Vernon in Prescott and a large building near the smelter in Clarkdale. All deliveries to the northeast were made from the Clarkdale warehouse while the Prescott warehouses worked central Arizona and the northwest. When I became old enough to drive a truck I made a lot of trips back and forth between Prescott and Clarkdale. 

Besides being a large force in the business community, these three Allen brothers felt they had a big responsibility to the civic government of Prescott. 

Merle was one of the businessmen instrumental in the organization of the Prescott Chamber of Commerce and Joe wound-up being the Mayor. 

Joe was a member of the city council in 1950 when the elected Mayor E. C. Seale, suffered a heart attack. The city council voted to have Joe fill the balance of Seale's term and he was the dubbed Acting Mayor until February 1951. At that time, Joe ran for the office on his own and was elected to a four-year term and served as Mayor until February 1955. Furthermore, Joe served Yavapai County as a State Representative in Phoenix for one term. Dick was elected to a hospital board and also served as its president. 

Merle, Joe, and Dick lived, or are living, well into their 90s. Dick is living at the Arizona Pioneers' Home, and it is rumored that he was once elected "Mayor" of the Home. 

(Ben Allen was born and raised in Prescott and returned recently to relive those fine memories) 



Sharlot Hall Museum Photograph Call Number: (courtesy of the author). Reuse only by permission.