Hours: Mon - Sat, 9 - 5
“Only sell it if it fits.”
Ben Slaminsky told that to his daughters, Jane and Marcia, many years ago. He knew better than to have customers walk out of their Main Street store with something they wouldn’t like. The women have continued their father’s insistence on personalized service, that has kept Ben’s going for 83 years.
The store opened as an Army/Navy Store in 1932, the year of FDR’s election, a year lodged between the stock market crash of 1929 and the impending war in Europe.
When the store opened, older brother, George was the owner and Benny was his employee. After the war, Ben who had enlisted in the Army and fought in the Battle of the Bulge married Ruth from New Jersey and bought out his brother…George opened another Army/Navy Store in Great Barrington.
Ruth encouraged her husband to take the bold step and she remained an important partner in the business until her death in 2011.
In 1970, Ben doubled the size of the store and changed the name to “Ben’s”. He came to the store everyday until his death in 1985. Daughters, Jane and Marcia have continued the family tradition ever since.
