Grenada grocery store celebrates 50 years

Grocery Basket, a family-owned chain in north-central Mississippi, reached 50 years in business last month. The milestone stands out in an industry where small grocers often close or merge with larger chains.

The company marked its anniversary June 18 with an event at its flagship store on Commerce Street in Grenada. Officials, employees, vendors, and local leaders attended.

From a single meat cutter to a three-generation business

Founder Guinn Moore began in the grocery trade as a meat cutter in his future father-in-law’s store in Carthage, Mississippi. Over the next several years, he worked in Kosciusko, Greenville, Louisville, and Philadelphia before leasing his first store—an A&P location in Columbia.

Moore later owned and operated the Columbia A&P, expanded it into a superette, and ran one of Mississippi’s largest supermarkets at the time, National Food Store, before selling both in 1975. The next year, he bought a struggling supermarket in Kosciusko and rebranded it as the first Grocery Basket.

His brother, Jimmy, joined as general manager, bringing experience from Jackson-area stores. Together, they opened a second location in Grenada in 1982, converting a former Liberty supermarket in the Green Shopping Center along Highway 51 South. The Grenada store became known for its 72-foot meat case, the largest in the state for a store of its size.

Moore’s son, Wayne, took over after working in grocery wholesale for distributors like Malone & Hyde and Fleming Companies. He led the business for 15 years until his death in April 2022 at age 59, forcing the family to decide whether to continue as an independent or sell.

The family chose to keep the business. Third-generation President and CFO William Burns, Wayne’s nephew, said the decision was about more than staying open—it was about reaching the 50-year mark and setting a foundation for the future.

“We looked at all the options, and none of them really satisfied what we wanted to do for the customer, for our team members, and for our community,” Burns said. “That led us to one thing, which was to keep the store.”

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Most independent grocers don’t plan that far ahead. When they do, their priorities shift. “It’s our heritage, our family, it’s what we know,” he said.

The Grenada location is situated between Memphis and Jackson. The town has about 12,000 residents and three grocery options: a Walmart, another independent grocer, and Grocery Basket. Burns said having multiple choices in a town that size makes a difference.

“For us to be a mainstay going forward, that gives this community at least three grocery outlets, positioned a little differently around town,” he said. “That’s an option for people, and I think that matters in a town our size.”

Burns said the company’s tagline, “The Meat People,” reflects its origins in meat cutting and its reputation for quality.

The family has set its sights on the 100-year mark. “I’ll get to give the next generation the same opportunity my family gave me,” Burns said.

For now, the company remains focused on the basics that built it. In an era where independent grocers often vanish, Grocery Basket’s survival depends on community loyalty.

The anniversary event wasn’t just a celebration of the past. It was a commitment to keep serving, one checkout line at a time.

The chain’s approach aligns with broader efforts by regional grocers to roll out lower prices in competitive markets.