SHELTON’S FIRST STORE
Opened: 1932 by the Shelton’s brothers
Operated by: The seven Shelton brothers
Location: McKey OK (near Sallisaw)
Size: Approximately 500 Square Feet
Product Selection: Gas, Coke, Canned Goods and
Hamburgers
Technology: Pencil and paper bags for Receipt and to add up totals, ice to keep Coke cold.
SHELTON’S CUT RATE GROCERY
Opened: Approximately 1946
Operated by: Dick Shelton
Location: Stigler
Size: Approximately 1200 Square Feet
Product Selection: Canned goods, fresh meat and soap
Technology: Adding machine, a meat case that used block ice and a fan to keep cold, meat cutting area with sawdust floor, manual cash register (no scanners or credit cards), no shopping carts.
SHELTON’S SUPERMARKET
Opened: 1946
Operated by:
Dick Shelton 1946 thru 1976
Wes Shelton 1976 thru 2005
Stan Shelton 2005 thru present
Location: 208 West Main St, Stigler
Size: Started at approximately 3500 Square Feet; currently expanded to approximately 23,000 Square Feet after 4 expansions.
Product Selection: Over 25,000 items, that include Grocery, Dairy, Frozen, Produce, Meat, Deli, Bakery and Check Cashing Service.
Technology: 60 FT of Refrigerated Produce, 96 FT of Refrigerated Meat, 60 FT of Dairy, 88 Doors of Frozen, 16 FT of Deli, Digital Scales, IBM Cash Registers with Scanners and Credit Card Terminals. (Shelton’s was the first store in Stigler to have Self-Service Dairy, Meat and Frozen Food.)
SHELTON’S CHECOTAH
Opened: 1997
Operated by: Richard Shelton
Location: 1000 W Gentry, Checotah, OK
Size: Started with 22,500 Square Feet; Currently expanded to 26,000 Square Feet
Product Selection: Approximately 40,000 items of Grocery, Dairy, Frozen, Produce, Meat, Deli, Hot Food, Hardware and Pharmacy.
Technology: 60 FT of Produce Case, 84 FT of Dairy Case, 84 Doors of Frozen, 68 FT of Meat, 24 FT of Deli, 6 Ft of Hot Food, IBM Cash Registers, Scanners, Digital Scales and Credit Card Terminals.
Shelton’s beginnings go back to the Shelton brothers opening a service station at McKey in 1932. The seven brothers sold gas, hamburgers, canned goods and cold Coke on ice. They also fixed flats and did repairs on cars for their customers. The brothers closed the station during WWII, after many of them were drafted into the Military. Dick Shelton, founder of Shelton’s Supermarket, served with the 193rd Glider Paratroopers of the 17th Airborne Division at Baston, Belgium and in Germany.
After serving 3 years in the Military, Dick and his wife Lorene moved to Stigler and opened the Cut-Rate Grocery Store. It was one of 11 grocery stores in town. The store had no refrigerated cases and no cash registers. All products were put into a brown bag and you wrote the price on it. The bag was your receipt.
Shelton’s moved locations in Stigler in 1949 and again in 1961 to its current location. Shelton’s was the first store in Stigler to install self-service cases for Dairy, Meat and Frozen Food. Stan (Grandson) and Wes Shelton (Son of Dick Shelton) currently operate the Stigler store.
Shelton’s in Checotah was started by Richard Shelton (Grandson) in 1997. The store has been expanded and remodeled to accommodate growth in Checotah. Shelton’s offers approximately 40,000 items, including Grocery, Dairy, Frozen, Meat, Produce, Deli, Hot Food and Hardware.
Much has changed since the beginnings of Shelton’s, but one thing remains constant. Our Goal is to serve the people of our communities to the highest possible standards.