Centerville Co-Op Store

This frame store, built by Joel Parrish about 1903, faced Main Street on the northeast corner of Main and Center Streets. An addition on the north was used for storage. On the east side of the store was a two-story rock addition which housed bushels of grains, as well as sacks of flour and other supplies. Later, another addition was built for an ice house.

Co-owners of the store at various times were Joel Parrish, Benjamin Brown, Charles Smith, and Carlos Smith. John Adams, Sr. was clerk.

In 1907, a fire ignited large quantities of kerosene which caused the store to burn down. Mr. Brown continued the store in several other locations until he built a new brick Co-op on the same site in about 1909.

ZCMI Co-Op Building 1909-1941

Official outlet of ZCMI (Zion’s Co-operative Mercantile Institution), “America’s First Department Store”. This building housed the Centerville Co-op from 1909 to 1941 replacing a building destroyed by fire. It was part of the ZCMI co-operative system servicing more than 150 communities in the Intermountain area with retail commodities and services beginning in 1868.