Cook's General Store

Grove Post Office

 

(Photo courtesy of Teresa Page)

(Photo Enhancement by Verduin Webs) 

 

Grove was a settlement at the corners of Cypress and 120th Ave. The settlement needed a name for the post office and since there was already an Ensley Post Office at Ben Ensley's Farm it was given the name of Grove. The name was changed to Ensley Center at a later time.

 

The Grove Post Office was commissioned on November 6, 1883 with George F. Cook as post master. The post office at that time, and after, was in Cook's Store. On August 16, 1894 the post office was moved to the Kinney/Hardman store. On July 17, 1897, George F. Cook became Postmaster again. The post office was then moved to the Cook's Store. The office was discontinued on Sept. 14th., 1903, with the mail going to Sand Lake Post Office in Kent County. The post office at Ben's Ensley's Farm was also discontinued in 1903 with the mail split between the Pierson and Howard City Post Office.

 

 

(Photo courtesy of the Ensley Historical Society)

(Photo Enhancement by Verduin Webs) 

 

 

George F. Cook, son of Smith and Rosetta Cook, married Della, the daughter of Mrs. Parizade Moore, Howard City’s pioneer lady. In 1882 George built a store in the center of Ensley Township. In 1890 it was rebuilt to accommodate a growing business, becoming one of the many general stores traditional in American rural society. Of the many stores in operation in Ensley throughout its long history, Cook’s Store was the longest running business even though it changed hands several times. Grove became the name of the small crossroad’s village, and George Cook acted as its postmaster, the post office being located in the store building. His business policy included taking butter and eggs in exchange for groceries, the produce seldom covering the cost of the groceries. He expected and presumably received payment whenever crops were sold. A niece of his, reflecting on what she felt was an unfair advantage was once heard to say, “We bring him our butter and eggs and it goes on the grocery bill. If I want a stamp I have to pay cash. How does he expect me to pay cash when he won’t give me any?” Mr. Cook owned a freight wagon to use in hauling groceries from the towns to the store. Arthur Mosher often drove for him.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

George F. Cook and Family

(Photo courtesy of the Ensley Historical Society)

(Photo Enhancement by Verduin Webs) 

 

 

(Photo courtesy of the Ensley Historical Society)

(Photo Enhancement by Verduin Webs)

Arthur sometimes made it a point to drive by the Crandall School where Grace Johnson was the teacher. He once stopped there to leave a bag of peanuts for Miss Johnson, which the kids intercepted and consumed. They pronounced the peanuts most excellent. Once George Cook hired a man to clean his cistern. After finishing the job the hired man reported to George on his work, not forgetting to tell him of the several dead rats he’d disposed of. George had brushed his teeth using cistern water only that morning. He turned a bit green and hurriedly left for he didn’t say where.
In 1927, Mr. Cook was killed when he was hit by a car in Cedar Springs.

(Photo courtesy of the White Cloud Public Library)

(Photo Enhancement by Verduin Webs)

 

On august 1, 1923, the store had passed into the hands of the J. DeBlaay family.

Early in the Depression it again changed hands when Peter Houvener bought the business. Times were hard and money was scarce, a combination not likely to guarantee success, and in 1935 Mr. Houvener left the store.

Earl Cook (left), a nephew of George Cook, then took over the business. He and his wife, the former Violet Holmes, did some remodeling and carried on the operation of the store in the traditional country store manner until 1954 when they decided to retire. Retaining the name, Cook’s Store, it was purchased by Howard and Edna Cook, no relation to the former Cooks. They completely remodeled the front of the store, making for an increased parking space, installed a walk-in refrigerator and several cooling and freezing units.

 

 

 

(Photo courtesy of the Ensley Historical Society)

In step with the times, and competing with large supermarkets, it was a self-serve operation, but still a general store, and was still successful in filling a real need in Ensley Township.

Today it is a private residence.

(Photo taken by Verduin Webs)

 

 

(Photo taken by Verduin Webs)