History
1816
The inhabitants of the town of Harvard sold a piece of land at the lower, southern, end of the Common. This part of the Common was separated from the main Common by the roads to Bolton and Still River. The new owner, Jason Bigelow, was a carpenter and built — with help of family and friends — the first store on the site. It was the first building in Harvard to be used exclusively as a store.
1817
Jason Bigelow sold to John Walker who ran the store for just a few years and then sold it.
1820
Bought by Seth Nason & John P. Whitcomb who built a stable between the store and the school.
1831
Silas Holman map shows a book store run by Nathanial Stacy in the building. He used it for a book store and bindery after Nason and Whitcomb gave up the trade. Benjamin S. Farnsworth, Jonathan Hosmer, Benjamin F Whitney, Churchill and Porter, and Ebenezer C. Willard were all in turn retailers in this site.
1850
On February 28th, the building burned down.
From the diary of Thrumbull Bull on May 11th: “bought a piece of land with John Farwell where the store was burned, measuring 30X40 ft and the privilege for shed which was granted by the town for which we paid $132.50 one-half each. We bought it for a building for the Odd Fellows who wished to take it and erect a building for a store on the first floor, shops or offices on the 2nd and the Odd Fellows Hall in the attic.”
The building was owned by the Union Hall Company. John Farwell was a well-known real estate agent and was involved in many Harvard properties through ownership or mortgage. Trumbull Bull was a charter member of the Odd Fellows which may have been a driving force that helped them secure a meeting place.
Over the years, the store had the following tenants.
1852
William Harlow and Ebenezer C. Willard purchased the building.
1853
Harlow sold his share to his partner Willard.
1855
A.R Willard and George Wetherbee, Wetherbee died in 1858.
1859
Charles and Everett Hussey.
1866
John B. Day and Lemuel Whitney.
1869
Day and Whitney sold to Trumbull Bull and Fred Willard.
1877
Bull and Willard moved to the store at the end of what is now known as the Harvard Inn, 11 Fairbank Street.
1878
Trumbull Bull died.
1881
Henry H. Gale and his brother George T. Gale rented the unoccupied store in the Union Hall building. They opened a store first known as Gale Brothers. After a very short time George Gale sold his interest to Philip O. Dickson and the store became Gale and Dickson. Gale & Dickson bought Frederick Willard’s good will and stock in trade and he closed his store in the “Harvard Inn” building. At some point, the building was bought by The Gales and Dickson.
1896
George Gale rejoined the company and the name changed to Gale, Dickson and Co. The Union Hall building was moved to what is now 9 Massachusetts Avenue and used for grain storage with an apartment upstairs. This building was pulled down in 1956 to make way for a building to house the Post Office. The present flat roofed three story building was built in the same location as the old store had been. After several years Mr. Dickson withdrew because of poor health and the name changed again to Gale Bros.
1916
The stock was sold to Bill Kerley, Reuben Reed and Wallace Bryant and the store became known as Kerley, Reed, & Bryant. Bill Kerley died in 1941, Wallace Bryant in 1967 and Reuben Reed in 1971. Reuben’s son, David Reed, gradually took over running the store in the late 1950s and early 60s. He ran it first as a general store with groceries and later as a clothing store. Ed Pieters, Reuben Reed’s son-in-law, married to Mary Reed Pieters, sold general merchandise and gifts on the second floor.
1934
Wine and Malt Beverage License awarded by the Town of Harvard to the General Store, expired in 1934.
1968
Kerley, Reed & Bryant closed its doors.
1970
Larry Kaplan opened The Clothes Corner selling women’s clothing.
1978
Joyce and Will Garrick bought the building and moved the Harvard Pharmacy and the Camera Center from the Post Office building at 9 Massachusetts Avenue to the building and it became known as the General Store.
2007
Store bought and renovated by Adam and Lyn Horowitz.
2010
Amy Bernhardt and Doug Coots joined Adam and Lyn Horowitz as Partners; Adam and Lyn relocated to England where Adam accepted a position with Bank of America.
Wine and Malt Beverage License awarded by the Town of Harvard to the General Store, the first of only three to be activated.
“Upstairs @ The General” launches the sale of fine wine and craft beer to a very thirsty crowd!
2012
The General Store is sold to Scott Hayward who aims to reinvigorate its community.
2018
The Harvard General Store and surrounding common became the set of Little Women (2019). Read more about it here.
2025
The building was purchased by Matt Marolda and Betsy Starr.
Anderson, Robert C. Directions of a Town: A History of Harvard, Massachusetts. Np: Harvard Historical Society, 1993
Harvard History: 1894-1940 compiled by Ida A. Harris. Np: Harvard Historical Society, 1940
Newton, Dianne M. The Harvard Album. Np Harvard Historical Society, 1997
Norse, Henry S. History of the Town of Harvard Massachusetts: 1732-1893. Np: printed for Warren Hapgood, 1894
Scorgie, Elvira. “The General Storekeepers: from 1816-1980” The Harvard Post, February 8, 1980:9
Savage Sr, F.S. Memoirs of Old Harvard Days: 1863-1924 also The Men and Their Descendants who Made Harvard What it is Today. published by author, 1924