Nash Finch Company Records

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Collection Overview

Title: Nash Finch Company Records

ID: OGLMC1246

Primary Creator: Nash Finch (1885-)

Extent: 105.0 Linear Feet

Date Acquired: 01/10/1992. More info below under Accruals.

Subjects: Business and Industry, Grand Forks - Business

Languages: English

Abstract

Contains financial and historical records chronicling the history of the Nash Finch Company and its subsidiaries, including photographs, product information, and artifacts. The collection also holds materials related to the Nash family history, as well as the Nash Foundation.

Scope and Contents of the Materials

The Nash Finch Company Records, 1849-present, have been organized into sixteen series:

Series 1: Company History

Series 2: Annual Reports

Series 3: Annual Meetings

Series 4: Meetings

Series 5: Company Financial Materials

Series 6: Individual Store Financial Materials

Series 7: Product History

Series 8: Correspondence

Series 9: Manuals/Procedures

Series 10: Training

Series 11: Publications

Series 12: Family Historical Materials

Series 13: Nash Foundation

Series 14: Photographs

Series 15: Artifacts

Series 16: Oversize Documents

Collection Historical Note

The Nash Finch Company began as a small family-owned retail business in rural North Dakota. In 1885, Fred Nash, with his brothers Edgar and Willis as partners, established a small confectionery and tobacco store in Devils Lake, North Dakota. A year later, the brothers expanded their business to include retail fruit and opened another fruit store in Devils Lake and one in Park River. After fire destroyed the original store in 1887, they relocated to Grand Forks.

Although the company was primarily involved in retail sales, by the time it moved to Grand Forks, the brothers had begun to sell surplus goods to other retailers. When, in 1889, a unique opportunity presented itself, the brothers were quick to expand into wholesaling. After a railroad car of peaches arrived in Grand Forks with no buyer, the brothers secured a loan to purchase the peaches and thus began the Nash Brothers wholesale business. By 1891, Nash Brothers company business was entirely wholesale and included fruits and other grocer lines.

Edgar Nash served as vice-president and manager of the Grand Forks store. After contracting tuberculosis in 1889, however, he moved to California upon his physician's recommendation. There, Edgar acted as the company's western representative, purchasing fruit and shipping it to Grand Forks for distribution. Edgar Nash died in 1896.

After Edgar left for California, the company hired its first non-family employee, Harry B. Finch. Hired initially to handle and clean fruit, Finch quickly assumed greater responsibilities in the company. In 1896, Finch became the manager of Nash Brothers first acquisition outside of North Dakota, Smith Wholesale Company of Crookston, Minnesota.

The company's second major acquisition came in 1904 when it bought the Minot Grocery Company. Nash Brothers devised an innovative scheme to realize the purchase. By reducing its credit terms with retail customers from twelve to six months, the company freed enough cash to buy the Minot Grocery. Finch was placed in charge of this company and also of the Grand Forks Mercantile Company, acquired in 1905, to bolster Nash Brothers operation as a full-line grocery and fruit brokerage. That same year, Nash Brothers formed a partnership with another Grand Forks produce brokerage, C.H. Robinson Company, and Finch was named its vice-president. In 1913, two years after Robinson's unexplained disappearance, Nash Brothers purchased controlling interest in C.H. Robinson Company.

Expansion of Nash Brothers during the early years of its existence was financed in part by employee ownership. Nash Brothers was one of the first companies to provide its employees with an employee stock ownership plan (ESOP). Established in 1908, the plan enabled employees to invest in their company. The company, in turn, retained the right of first purchase when employees sold their stock. Although many company ESOP's failed during the Depression, that of Nash Finch continued to operate until World War II.

From 1907 to 1919, Nash Brothers enlarged their holding in the northwestern United States and parts of Canada by building or purchasing fifty-four fruit houses as well as related marketing, shipping, and grocery companies. For instance, in 1916 the company purchased the Caldwell Company, a coffee importer and provider of Nash Brothers "No-Vary Coffee." Fred Nash was president of the Nash Coffee Company until his death in 1926. He was succeeded by Harry Finch. Nash Coffee Company remained a subsidiary of the Nash empire until it was sold to the Otis McCallister Company of San Francisco in 1959.

By 1919, Nash Brothers had expanded its business holdings and territory to such an extent that the company thought it necessary to move its headquarters to a location more accessible to the nation's fresh fruit and grocery markets. On November 13, 1919, Nash Brothers closed its Grand Forks offices and moved to Minneapolis, a rapidly growing urban and regional distribution center.

In 1921, to take advantage of the state's flexible laws, Nash Finch was incorporated in Delaware. Consolidation formed two corporations, Nash Finch Company and Nash-Simington Ltd. of Canada, but did not include the subsidiary of the C.H. Robinson Company, which remained the operation's shipping and brokerage arm. Fred P. Nash was Nash Finch's first president and Willis K. Nash the company's first treasurer. Willis was also president of the Nash Company, incorporated in 1919 to hold company stock for the Nash family. He served as Nash Company's president from 1926 to 1930, chairman of the board from 1930 to 1940, and vice-president from 1940 until his death in 1956 at age 87.

Harry Finch was named president of Nash Shareholders, incorporated in North Dakota in 1922 as Nash Finch's investment division. It ceased operations in 1937 when Merchant Finance Company assumed total responsibility for company investments. Merchant Finance was established in 1932 to assist those independent retailers, with whom Nash Finch dealt, in their capital investment pursuits during the Depression. Also in 1932, Nash Finch sold its Canadian business interests. That sale freed enough capital to buy the company during the Depression. Moreover, Nash Finch was able to buy out competitors and establish a private store brand, "Our Family."

Finch succeeded Fred Nash as president after Nash's death in 1926 at age 66. Finch became chairman of the board in 1929 when W.E. Dietz was named president. Finch resumed the presidency in 1932. In 1939, Finch was named again as the company's chairman of the board and served in that capacity until 1953. Harold Finch, son of Harry Finch, was president of Nash Finch from 1939 through 1961, when he was appointed chairman of the board, a position he held until 1967. His son, Harold B. Finch Jr., was elected president in 1978 and chairman of the board in 1985.

In addition to its notable business ventures, the Nash Finch Company has a distinguished history of philanthropic activities. Chief among these was the Helping Hand Society, established in 1922 to "care for the sick, aged, and disabled, ministering to the needs of the poor, and for the advancement of promotion of charitable aims." In 1931, the society was renamed the Nash Foundation. Since then, foundation monies have aided employees, provided scholarship, and supported other charitable causes.

Subject/Index Terms

Business and Industry
Grand Forks - Business

Administrative Information

Repository: Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections

Accruals:

Numeous additions have been donated:

Bill Roberts, Nash Finch Company: August 1993 (94-1935); May 1995 (95-2018); June 16, 1995 (95-2019)

John Nash (grandson of Fred P. Nash), Minnetonka, Minnesota: June 22, 1994 (94-1961); December 15, 1995 (95-2049)

Nicholas Nash (grandson of Willis K. Nash), White Bear Lake, Minnesota: March 13, 1995 (95-2009); March 25, 2001 (2001- 2497)

Mary Lois Lowe, (granddaughter of Fred P. Nash), Mount Pleasant, South Carolina in 1995 (95-2039)

Mary Lois Nash Coons, Port Royal, South Carolina: November 18, 1998 (2000-2469)

Access Restrictions: Open for inspection under the rules and regulations of the Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections.

Acquisition Source: Robert Nash, Vice President and Treasurer, Nash Finch Company

Acquisition Method: Donation; 92-1796

Related Publications: Gjovig, Bruce. Boxcar of Peaches: the Nash Bros. & Nash Finch Company: the First Fifty Years; Our Family. Grand Forks: Center for Innovation & Business Development, 1990.

Preferred Citation: (Description of Item). Nash Finch Company Records. OGLMC 1246, Box #, Folder #. Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections, Chester Fritz Library, University of North Dakota, Grand Forks.

Finding Aid Revision History: The finding aid was significantly revised in 2012 and 2014. The finding aid was made publically viewable in September 2014.

Box and Folder Listing

Browse by Series:

[Series 1: Company History],
[Series 2: Annual Reports],
[Series 3: Annual Meetings],
[Series 4: Meetings],
[Series 5: Company Financial Materials],
[Series 6: Individual Store Financial Materials],
[Series 7: Product History],
[Series 8: Correspondence],
[Series 9: Manuals/Procedures],
[Series 10: Training],
[Series 11: Publications],
[Series 12: Family Historical Materials],
[Series 13: Nash Foundation],
[Series 14: Photographs],
[Series 15: Artifacts],
[Series 16: Oversize Documents],
[All]

Series 6: Individual Store Financial Materials

Contains two unbound financial volumes that include materials related to the finances of the various individual stores within the Nash Finch Company over a period of several years.

Volume 232

Folder 1: Lethbridge Mer. Co.- Lloyd Fruit Co., 1920-1922
Folder 2: Medicine Hat Grocery Co.- North Platte Merc., 1920-1922
Folder 3: Park Grant and Corrigan- Royal Fruit Co., 1918-1922
Folder 4: Smith Fruit- Turner Tulsa Co., 1920-1922
Folder 5: Valley City Fruit- Yankton Co., 1919-1922
Folder 6: Aberdeen Wholesale Grocery Co.- Alexander Marketing Co., 1916-1921
Folder 7: Grand Forks Mercantile Co.- Lake Grocery Co., 1921-1922
Folder 8: Booker Fruit Co.- Brown Fruit Co., 1916-1919
Folder 9: Caldwell Coffee Co.- Crown Grocery Co. Ltd., 1916-1919
Folder 10: DeCamp Fruit Co.- Dominion Grocers, 1916-1921
Folder 11: Early Fruit Co.- Personal Employees Account, 1916-1920
Folder 12: Finch Investment Co.- Fruit Dispatch Co., 1919-1920
Folder 13: General Brokerage Co.- Great Northern Ry Co., 1916-1921
Folder 14: Hastings Fruit Co.- Huron Grocery Co., 1916-1922
Folder 15: Interstate Fruit Co.- Ireland Lumber Co., 1916-1921
Folder 16: C.C. Johnson- Jones Fruit Co., 1916-1921
Folder 17: Kearney Wholesale Co.- Kerrobert Merc. Co., 1916-1922
Folder 18: The Lake Grocery Co.- Lloyd Fruit Co., 1916-1922
Folder 19: McLean Grocery Co.- Mutual Purchasing Co., 1916-1922
Folder 20: Nash Bros. - No Vary, 1916-1922
Folder 21: Ozark Fruit Growers Assn.- Prince Albert Fruit Co., 1916-1921
Folder 22: Rasher Kingman Herrin Co.- Royal Fruit Co. Ltd., 1916-1921
Folder 23: Simington Co.- Swift Current Grocery Co., 1916-1921
Folder 24: Thief River Grocery Co.- Turner Tulsa Co., 1916-1921
Folder 25: Valley City, ND- Valley City Fruit Co., 1916-1922
Folder 26: Walker Fruit Co.- Wyoming Grocery Co., 1916-1921
Folder 27: Yorktown Grocery Co., 1916-1921
Folder 28: Index for Folders #29-36, Listing Account Name and Sheet Number
Folder 29: Sheets 1-24, 1916-1922
Folder 30: Sheets 25-45, 1916-1922
Folder 31: Sheets 51-59, 1916-1922
Folder 32: Sheets 60-69, 1916-1922
Folder 33: Sheets 70-79, 1918-1922
Folder 34: Sheets 80-100, 1916-1922
Folder 35: Sheets 102-129, 1918-1920
Folder 36: Sheets 130-161, 1918-1921
Folder 37: Aberdeen Wholesale Grocery Co.- Alexander Marketing Co., 1916-1922
Folder 38: Booker Fruit Co.- Wm. Bydal, 1916-1921
Folder 39: Caldwell Importing Co.- E.C. Curry, 1916-1921
Folder 40: Dauphin Fruit Co.- James E. Driscoll, 1917-1922
Folder 41: Early Fruit Co.- John B. Erikson, 1916-1921
Folder 42: Finch Winslow Carlisle Co.- Fruit Dispatch Co., 1916-1922
Folder 43: Grand Forks Mercantile Co.- O.P. Grymyr, 1916-1922
Folder 44: Huron Grocery Co.- Ray Hyde, 1916-1922
Folder 45: Interstate Fruit Co., 1916-1922
Folder 46: Jones Fruit Co.- O.V. Johnson, 1916-1919
Folder 47: Kearney Wholesale Co.- Geo A. Kent Co., 1917-1921
Folder 48: Lake Grocery Co.- W.A. Logan, 1916-1922
Folder 49: Medicine Hat Grocery Co.- D. MacCullum, 1916-1922
Folder 50: W.K Nash- No Vary Products, 1916-1922
Folder 51: Miss Odlum- The Quaker Oats Co., 1916-1922
Folder 52: Randolf Marketing Co.-Romstead, 1916-1922
Folder 53: Smith Fruit Co.- Star Brass Works, 1916-1922
Folder 54: Thief River Grocery Co.- Turner Tulsa Preferred Stocks, 1916-1922
Folder 55: United Cigar Mfg. Co.- Valley City Fruit Co., 1916-1921
Folder 56: Walker Fruit Co.- Wyoming Grocery Co., 1916-1922
Folder 57: Yorktown Grocery Co.- Yokum Bros., 1916-1922
Folder 58: Liberty Bonds, 1918-1919

Volume 233

Folder 1: Adjustment Account, 1934-1939
Folder 2: Andrew Sabulsa- E.G. Swenson, 1937-1940
Folder 3: Third Avenue Grocery- Twin City Grocery, 1937-1940
Folder 4: Union Food Market- Victor, 1937-1940
Folder 5: Walker's Grocery- Zubow, 1938-1940
Folder 6: Fourth Street Market- Al Guillemette Grocery, 1937-1941
Folder 7: Haas Grocery-Husak Grocery, 1936-1941
Folder 8: Jacobson Good Taste Market-Justus Grocery, 1936-1940
Folder 9: A.H. Kalmen's Food Market- Kylo and Schogen, 1935-1940
Folder 10: LaBelles Grocery-Lyndale Market, 1935-1940
Folder 11: McBeath Grocery- Mrs. J.H. Murphy, 1936-1940
Folder 12: Nelson's Grocery-Northside Grocery, 1937-1940
Folder 13: O'Had Brothers-Otto's Market, 1936-1940
Folder 14: Park Grocery-Quality Food Market, 1936-1940
Folder 15: Rackner's Grocery-Ryder Grocery, 1935-1940
Folder 16: F&I Grocery- Food Stamps Account, 1938-1941
Folder 17: Earl's Food Market- Eyre Grocery, 1935-1939
Folder 18: Campbell Grocery-Dupont Food Market, 1935-1940
Folder 19: B&B Grocery-Bryant Grocateria, 1936-1941
Folder 20: ABC Grocery-A&V Grocery, 1935-1941
Folder 21: Yankton Grocery Co.-Geo. Zugler Co., 1936-1940
Folder 22: W.W. Vocht-Warch Cigar Co., 1936-1941
Folder 23: The Taylor Co.-Uni-Celled Fireworks, 1934-1941
Folder 24: Self-Service Drug-Switzer Yellow Jacket Co., 1936-1941
Folder 25: Rackner's Food Market-Rumford, 1937-1940
Folder 26: Quality Store #7- Queen Anne Candy Co., 1933-1940
Folder 27: Philips Fruit Co.- Power's Dry Goods Co., 1936-1938
Folder 28: Piggly Wiggly #30, St. Cloud MN, 1938-1942
Folder 29: Piggly Wiggly #29, Rochester, MN, 1938-1941
Folder 30: Piggly Wiggly #28, Austin, MN, 1937-1942
Folder 31: Piggly Wiggly #27, 5010 34th Ave So, 1938-1942
Folder 32: Piggly Wiggly #26, 1550 Nicolle Ave, 1938-1939
Folder 33: Piggly Wiggly #25, 4020 West Lake Street, 1937-1942
Folder 34: Piggly Wiggly #24, St. Cloud, MN, 1937-1942
Folder 35: Piggly Wiggly #23, Minot, ND, 1935-1937
Folder 36: Piggly Wiggly #22, Broadway and Thomas, 1936-1942
Folder 37: Piggly Wiggly #21, 3521 East Lake Street, 1938-1940
Folder 38: Piggly Wiggly #20, 50th and Ewing So., 1936-1941
Folder 39: Piggly Wiggly #19, 5220 Lyndale Ave, 1937-1942
Folder 40: Piggly Wiggly #18, Lake and Emerson, 1937-1942
Folder 41: Piggly Wiggly #17, Winona, MN, 1938-1942
Folder 42: Piggly Wiggly #16, 204 4th St. Rochester, MN, 1937-1942
Folder 43: Piggly Wiggly #15, Mankato, MN, 1936-1942
Folder 44: Piggly Wiggly #14, Owatonna, MN, 1939-1942
Folder 45: Piggly Wiggly #13, Faribault, MN, 1938-1942
Folder 46: Piggly Wiggly #11, Dickinson, ND, 1937-1938
Folder 47: Piggly Wiggly #10, Bismarck, ND, 1935-1937
Folder 48: Piggly Wiggly #9, Valley City, ND, 1937-1940
Folder 49: Piggly Wiggly #8, Mandan, ND, 1937
Folder 50: Piggly Wiggly #6, 613 So. Federal Street, Mason City, IA, 1941-1942
Folder 51: Marshal Piggly Wiggly #5, 116 East 11th Street, Waterloo, IA, 1939-1942
Folder 52: Piggly Wiggly #5, Grand Forks, ND, 1935-1941
Folder 53: Piggly Wiggly #4, Moorhead, MN, 1937-1939
Folder 54: Marshall Piggly Wiggly #4, Commercial Street, Waterloo, IA, 1939-1942
Folder 55: Marshall Piggly Wiggly #3, Iowa Falls, IA, 1940-1942
Folder 56: Piggly Wiggly Midland Co. #3, Bloomer, WI, 1939-1940
Folder 57: Marshall Piggly Wiggly #2, Mason City, IA, 1938-1942
Folder 58: Piggly Wiggly #2, Fargo, ND, 1936-1942
Folder 59: Piggly Wiggly Midland #2, Chippewa Falls, WI, 1939-1942
Folder 60: Marshall Piggly Wiggly #1, Marshalltown, IA, 1937-1942
Folder 61: Piggly Wiggly Midland Co. #1, Eau Claire, WI, 1939-1942
Folder 62: Piggly Wiggly #1, Fargo, ND, 1937-1941
Folder 63: Piggly Wiggly- Freight Account, 1937-1941
Folder 64: Piggly Wiggly #3, Decorah, IA, 1938-1943
Folder 65: Piggly Wiggly Barrett #2, Waukon, IA, 1938-1943
Folder 66: Piggly Wiggly Barrett #1, Charles City, IA, 1937-1942
Folder 67: Adolf, Olander- R.H Petefish Variety Store, 1934-1941
Folder 68: National Biscuit Company- Northwest Fruit Co., 1934-1942
Folder 69: Nash Stone, Grand Forks, ND, 1938-1941
Folder 70: Nash Lewis, Fargo, ND, 1938-1942
Folder 71: Nash Jewett, Aberdeen, SD, 1941-1943
Folder 72: Nash Finch Co., Williston, ND, 1938-1942
Folder 73: Nash Finch Co., Watertown, SD, 1938-1942
Folder 74: Nash Finch Co., Valley City, ND, 1938
Folder 75: Nash Finch Co., Sioux Falls, SD, 1938-1942
Folder 76: Nash Finch Co., St. Cloud, MN, 1938-1942
Folder 77: Nash Finch Co., Nolfolk, NE, 1935-1941
Folder 78: Nash Finch Co., Jamestown, ND, 1938-1943
Folder 79: Nash Finch Co., Havre, MT, 1936-1939
Folder 80: Nash Finch Co., Glenwood, MN, 1938-1943
Folder 81: Nash Finch Co., Detroit Lakes, MN, 1938-1940
Folder 82: Nash Finch Co., Davenport, 1934-1935
Folder 83: Nash Finch Co., Brainerd, MN, 1938-1942
Folder 84: Nash Finch Co., Bismarck, ND, 1938-1942
Folder 85: Nash Finch Co., Billings, MT, 1935
Folder 86: Nash Finch Co., Bemidji, MN, 1938-1942
Folder 87: Nash Finch Co., Miscellaneous Accounts, 1937-1943
Folder 88: Nash Finch Co., City, 1938-1942
Folder 89: Nash Shareholders, 1939
Folder 90: W.K. Nash, 1934-1937
Folder 91: Nash Coffee, 1330 Quincy, 1937-1941
Folder 92: J. MacIntosh- O. Myrers, 1934-1942
Folder 93: Lake Grocery- D.J. Longpre, 1934-1942
Folder 94: Jamestown Grocery- E.A. Knowlton, 1934-1942
Folder 95: Haskins Brothers- Ireland Wilson Variety Store, 1934-1942
Folder 96: Gamble Robinson Company- M.A. Gustafson, 1934-1942
Folder 97: Fairmont Creamery- Fareway Store 407, 1934-1942
Folder 98: S.L. Eddy Variety Store- Excelsior Fruit Growers, 1938-1942
Folder 99: Dad's Root Beer- Dwarfies, 1934-1942
Folder 100: Cash Accounts- J.D. Cutting Co., 1935-1942
Folder 101: B and B Supply- Buttsey Foods, Inc., 1935-1942
Folder 102: Aberdeen Wholesale Grocery- Associate Sales, 1933-1945

Box 19

Folder 37: Problem Stores, 1982

Department of Special Collections
Digital Finding Aids