Denison Herald
November 10, 1991



BARRETT BEGAN DENISON VENTURE IN 1939
Jack Barrett came to the Denison area in 1939 to launch a multi-store Piggly Wiggly system, establishing an apartment home in the four floor building at Main and Mirick, which he owned.
This was to become the headquarters of his various enterprises, including Barrett Cut Rate Drugs, which is celebrating its 30th anniversary today at the location.
Barrett was born on a farm at Center, Kentucky, in 1902 and went with his family at the age of nine years to Oregon, where he grew up and launched his business career. He graduated from Oregon State College with a pharmacy degree, which he often described as being "as good as new," turning instead to a merchandising career.
Fresh out of college Barrett landed his first job in 1923 the Skaggs United Stores in Portland. This firm was a forerunner of Safeway Stores and he advanced steadily with the Skaggs organizatio, moving to Denver, Colo., Wichita, Ks., and then to Enid, Oklahoma, as district manager.
Barrett ventured into business on his own in 1930 when he and two partners formed a company at Fargo, N.D. to four Piggly Wiggly stores that expanded into into 23 houses in North Dakota and Minnesota.
He remained with that organization until 1939 when he came to Denison, buying the Piggly Wiggly store at 507 West Main, which he continued to own, along with later acquistions, until 1960, when he sold the Barrett Grocery Co.
After establishing stores at Denison, Sherman, Madill and Durant, the company later added stores at Paris, Hugo and Greenville. After the sale of these stores, Barrett continued to own some of the buildings.
When the Kraft Food Co. moved its division headquarters out of what was originally Denison's prided YMCA building, Barrett bought the four-story structure at the corner of Main and Mirick in 1948.
He established his business headquarters there, however, he sold the building in 1958 to a San Francisco firm and bought it back a couple of years later for expanded use and improvement.
Barrett Drug, which continued continued one of his two principal merchandising ventures, was established in the basement of the Barrett Building. He also remodeled space on upper floors into a luxiourious apartment, where he made his home.
Another Barrett venture was the establishment of a Gibson Discount franchise store at Albany, Ga. in 1964, which he continued to won and operate along with Barrett Drug after selling his Piggly Wiggly stores.
Barrett later expanded the drug store by the construction of a large addition on the east, on space formerly occupied by the bus terminal. Before his death he purchased two adjoining buildings, including space formerly occupied by Jennings Furniture for many years.
Barrett enjoyed a hobby of flying and was a liscensed and competent pilot with several thousand flying hours on his log book. He owned a twin-engine plane which he kept at the Sherman airport and used for business trips across the country.
He married Cecile Davis at Texarkana on March 7, 1943, and served with the Army during World War II. He suffered a heart attack in 1967 and after a long recuperative period suffered a cerebral hemorrhage in February 1968 and died on February 6 of that year.
After his death, his wife, who had been vice president of Barrett Cut Rate Drugs, continued to operate the company until her death in January 1989.

BUILDING HAS LUXURY SUITE
About the time Barrett Cut Rate Drug opened its doors, Mr. and Mrs. Jack Barrett completed the remodeling of the second floor of the Barrett Building into a luxiourous 15-room apartment, where they resided.
The apartment has two entrances, a private one on the outside and another in the office section of the building.
Included in the apartment are a game room, a library and a cocktail room, kitchen and dining areas and three bedroom suites each including a bath among other rooms.