family owned - family run - families served
Ma & Pa's Copyright 2017. All Rights Reserved
| Ma & Pa's Inc. | 1044 Main Street Hope Valley, Rhode Island US | +1.4015397053 |
MA & PA'S Country Store
"At your family market, there is always a smiling face
waiting to make your favorite overstuffed grinder and
pick the perfect ribeye steak from the front of the case."
We enjoy serving you proudly.
~
HOW WE CAME INTO OUR NAME
Vendors and salesmen insisted on speaking with the owners.
In those days, age ranked authority. Salesmen would ask for young
Wendy and Larrys', "Ma & Pa," to speak business with the owners.
They would respond,
"Well, you have to speak with us. We are the owners."
A few years after opening the front doors of Ma & Pa's,
the two built their home. Soon after, Ma & Pa earned their title
when Tara was born, followed by Kevin four years later.
A decade later, Christian, came into the world.
~
FAMILY ROOTS
Family has been the backbone to the business. Wendy and Larrys' brothers and sisters worked with the couple for years.
Wendy and Larrys' mothers have baked pies, sweets, and cooked
catering items throughout the decades.
In the most sincere form of flattery, their fathers worked alongside
Larry on the butchers bench and shared life lessons, stories & laughs.
~
OUR STORY
The story begins as most love stories do; love at first sight.
The couple met at the long-standing Bon Vue Inn.
Larry, age 20, proceeded to wisp Wendy off her feet
on the dance floor as the two spoke about their dreams.
A year of laughter and fun passed while their passion grew.
Larry was busy attending college in Connecticut and made weekly visits to Wendy's hometown of Charlestown. Wendy, holding her fresh diploma from Chariho High School, was spending her days at Jimmie's Country Store.
The two remember time moving slowly through those years
as they contemplated their respective futures.
~
One summer day, Larry was visiting for the weekend
when the store needed another worker for the day.
The day turned to six months,
which turned to a year.
They were drawn to a risky and entreprenurial-spirited decision.
~
Should we keep working on a future separately?
Is this what I want, is this what we want?
Can we afford the risk?
Are we ready to own a store?
The answer was clear. The answer made sense.
The answer was to start their lives together, here in Hope Valley.
~
Larry and Wendy had little investment money.
They approached Herb, Wendy's father, and asked him to cosign for a loan.
He replied, "Wendy, you to me, I would say yes."
He turned to Larry, "you are not kin."
The next day, Larry proposed and the loan was approved
on the day of their wedding.
On February 4th, 1978, just two days before the Blizzard of 78,
Larry and Wendy Walsh were wed... and the adventure had just begun.
We thank you for making us Your Family Market.
The country store is community based with a family-oriented serving style.
~
We thank you for all the support over the years and
hope you will continue to join our effort, here on Main Street.
~