Milton and Ramona Schwartz purchased their first grocery store E&M Food Store from D.R. Edington on April 1, 1956. The old Piggly Wiggly store was located downtown on Fisher St. in the Palmer Building. They officially changed the name on April 2, 1956, to Schwartz Food Store and began a family owned and operated business that has since become an important part of life in Goldthwaite, Texas.
On July 15, 1960, Schwartz Food Store moved to a larger building that was the first air-conditioned business in town on the corner of 3rd and Parker in the Burnham Building.
On October 25, 1984, the Schwartz family proudly welcomed their customers into a brand-new building at the intersection of Fisher Street and Hannah Valley Road. This building featured a parking lot with 70 parking spaces and the first building with automatic doors and electric product scanners.
The early years weren’t easy, but on the store’s 40th anniversary Milton wrote that “most things can be overcome by faith, trust, and love for others.” Hard work and determination paid off, and with the community behind them, the Schwartz’s pressed on and never looked back.
Things have changed dramatically since the first Schwartz Food Store opened for business. Along the way, improvements in shipping and technology have made the operation more efficient, which has allowed Schwartz Food Store to better serve our customers.
Now owned and operated by Milton and Ramona’s son David, and grandson Danny, Schwartz Food Store is still going strong. David Schwartz officially became a partner in the business on January 1, 1979. Danny Schwartz joined the business in June 1999 and became a partner in the business in 2004. Over the past 70 years, Milton and Ramona’s children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren have all worked in the store creating 4 generations of a family owned and operated local business.
“Schwartz Food Store has and will continue to offer our trade area the very best in products and service”, Milton said in 1996. “You can build buildings, parking lots, and have the latest equipment, but the most important part of business is the CUSTOMER-that is you.”
