Step Into the Past at the

Brookshire’s Country Store

Transport yourself to a bygone era at our all-new Brookshire’s Country Store exhibit, an immersive, interactive experience inside the Brookshire’s Wildlife Museum. This 1920’s life-sized mock store invites guests of all ages to explore the history of grocery shopping, complete with vintage shelving, bins, and authentic artifacts from the early days of Brookshire’s.

Discover charming details around every corner—from a talking store clerk perched on a ladder to rotating audio stories that bring the store to life. With layered soundscapes, accent lighting, and themed props, this exhibit is designed to engage your senses and spark your curiosity.

Fun Fact:
Brookshire Grocery Company’s very first Brookshire’s store opened in 1928 in downtown Tyler, Texas—with just four employees and a focus on friendly service. It set the foundation for what would become a beloved regional grocery chain nearly a century later!

Back in Time at the Country Store

The Brookshires dreamed of building the museum many years before it actually came to fruition.  The original museum was located at Brookshire Grocery Company’s corporate office.  In 1990, the museum expanded and relocated to a new facility located south of Brookshire’s distribution complex. The expansion included a life-sized replica of a 1920’s grocery store giving visitors a close look at a past era of the supermarket industry.  It was much like the store Mr. Brookshire first opened in Tyler in 1928 including wooden floors and antique display cases.  The store was fully-stocked with old-time goods, along with numerous grocery-related artifacts. The nostalgic grocery store gave visitors a perspective of the advancement of the grocery industry during the last center.  In 1995, the Museum further expanded adding space for a unique gift shop and vintage candy counter. 

Ten men in a vintage store or bar, some wearing hats, with shelves of bottles and boxes behind them, possibly from the early 20th century.
Black and white photo of a vintage store with five people standing behind the counter, shelves filled with goods, and a wooden floor.

Innovating the Grocery Experience Since 1928

  • Building on the Roots of the Old Country Store

    On September 1, 1928, founder W.T. (Wood) Brookshire opened a small grocery store on the courthouse square in downtown Tyler, Texas. The first store began with only four employees, in a small, 2,500-square-foot space only twenty-five feet wide by 100 feet deep, with an unfinished basement and a second-story storage area.


    Black and white photo of a small grocery store called Brookshire's Self Service Grocery, with a sign advertising Saturday special. There are two men standing outside, one with a hat and sunglasses. An older truck is parked in front.

  • Commitment to (Educating) the Community

    Both W.T. (Wood) Brookshire and his wife, Louise, helped pave a heritage of innovation and service, as well as a commitment to bringing their personal passions to the community. They were committed to educating the public through the display of animals encountered in their travels across Africa, Alaska, and North America, exposing the community to new wildlife they were unable to see elsewhere.

    Black and white photo of a man in a suit and a woman wearing a pearl necklace, standing close together.

  • First Air-Conditioned Grocery Store

    Brookshire Grocery Company was the first grocery chain in East Texas to provide air conditioning in its stores. After the original Brookshire’s Food Store on South Broadway burned down in 1939, the store was rebuilt and reopened on the corner of South Broadway and West Front Street. The new location had the distinction of being the first air-conditioned grocery store in East Texas and was considered one of the finest food stores in the area.

    Black-and-white photo of people shopping inside a grocery store, with produce and canned goods visible, likely from the 1950s.

  • Self-Service Shopping Store

    Brookshire Grocery Company was the first retailer in East Texas to adopt the self-service shopping concept in its early stores. Instead of placing an order for a clerk to fill, customers could get their own basket and self-select merchandise, making their own choices while following a prescribed path designed to expose them to the appeal of goods on the shelves. A forerunner to the modern supermarket, this innovative strategy led to reduced operating expenses and lower prices, while also building a strong customer base.

    Black and white photo of a grocery store with shelves of canned goods, produce, and other items. Several employees stand behind the produce section, while a man in a suit is at the front counter.

  • Offering Customers More Products

    Brookshire’s early grocery stores originally provided core staples like smoked meats and cheeses. Unlike grocery stores today that typically stock 40,000 to 50,000 items via mass refrigeration, customers at that time had to get meat from hunting or a local butcher, while local farmers delivered milk and eggs. Through self-service shopping, Brookshire’s grocery customers could find low prices and a wide selection of 600 to 800 items—a much larger variety compared to the traditional country store of the past.

    Interior of a grocery store with shelves stocked with canned goods, bags of rice, and other food items. The store appears to be from an earlier time period, with wooden shelves and fluorescent lighting.

  • Continued Success Through Customer Service

    Founder W.T. (Wood) Brookshire believed it his calling to serve his community through the grocery industry, with a focus on service and family—that is why Brookshire Grocery Company is still family-owned today.

    W.T. Brookshire laid a foundation of core values focused on incredible customer service, tenacity, and competitive grit. He focused on service rather than price, giving customers heartfelt greetings from stockers and service counter employees, from the door to the checkout.

    A man wearing a chef's hat with a bow tie offers a large piece of meat to a woman with dark, styled hair and earrings, both smiling.