Woods Department Store As It Appears Today

In 1940 Mr. and Mrs. O. L. Woods constructed one of the most modern buildings ever built in Corning on West First Street to be occupied by Woods Mercantile Company.  The store staged a grand opening on June 1, of that year.

The two-story brick structure 50x150 feet included a ware room and concrete basement.

Wearing apparel, shoes, linens, household items, an upstairs furniture department, and grocery store made it a one-stop store for the whole family.  Shortly afterward the Woods installed frozen food lockers, which were very popular during the war years when many food items were hard to get.

In 1952 Mr. and Mrs. Woods and son, A. C. "Kip" Woods sold the grocery and food locker business to make room for a much larger store of read-to-wear items and shoes.  After remodeling it was one of northeast Arkansas' most complete department stores.

In 1945 the Woods Farm Equipment and Motor Company was constructed on Highway 67 West.  This business has been under the management of A. C. "Kip" Woods.

The next business venture of the Woods Companies [sic] was the Parkview Tourist Court, also on Highway 67 West.  The Court opened July 1950, and a short time later a modern swimming pool was added to the Court.

Just East of the Court they constructed a modern restaurant, the Parkview Steak House.  A large private dining room was added and major redecorating in 1960.

Later on Woods companies engaged in Wood's [sic] Farms for cattle and hog raising.  Manager of these enterprises is A. C. Woods, Jr.

O. L. Woods, [sic] was owner of Corning Cotton Company from 1937.  This and other business were sold after his death, [sic] in 1964.

Mrs. Woods continued to operate the Woods' Department Store until 1957 when her assistant became her granddaughter, Mrs. Betty Heidbreder who has managed the store for the past four years.

Submitted by Danny Moore