John Holmes, his widowed Mother and three sisters, Sarah, Rachel (Mrs. Lew Stone) and Henrietta (Mrs. Galbreath) came to Valley City from Brainard, Minnesota in 1880.
Mr. Holmes built his grocery store shortly after his arrival in town. It was the talk of the town at the time because the people thought he was building "in the country." The center of the village was on Main Street at about where the Occident elevator now stands. The newspaper office was just north of the Pump House, which stood on the location of the elevator. The Northern Pacific Hotel was then located just north of the Green Valley Laundry.
When Holmes built his store several blocks west of the center of town and north of the railroad tracks, people said, "He might as well have gone to Sanborn - no one is going to walk out there!"
But they did - and John Holmes prospered. The family lived upstairs and he was assisted by his sisters in the store. The very best of everything was carried in stock. It was a social center as well as a store and a place where the latest news might be heard.
Came the day when Holmes decided that the interior of his store needed painting. He ordered and received a keg of paint and paint brushes. The town was booming and painters were in short supply. One day an itinerant happened in the store and asked for work. John Holmes inquired if he, the itinerant, could paint. On being assured that he could, John Holmes hired him. Since the man had not eaten for some time, Holmes advanced him some money and the itinerant said he would be back after getting a meal.
In due time he appeared, somewhat the worse for wear, having imbibed instead of eating. Going to the basement, he opened what he took to be the keg of paint, poured out an amount into a pail and grabbing a ladder and a brush, began to paint the ceiling of the store. John Holmes paid little attention until the painter came to him and asked if Mr. Holmes had any turpentine, complaining that the paint was too thick.
Looking up at the ceiling, John was horrified to see that the ceiling was a dark brown in color. This was not the color he had ordered. A glance at the paint pail revealed the awful truth - the ceiling was painted with molasses! Needless to say, the erstwhile painter got the bum's rush!
John Holmes was active in the affairs of the town and the fledgling county. He served as county treasurer and as city engineer from 1886 to 1890.
Tons of groceries were carried out of the John Holmes store in the thirty years of its existence. Likewise, about a ton of candy was given to the children of his patrons during that period. At Christmas time no family in Valley City went hungry if John Holmes knew of their plight.
The Holmes store stood where the present Farmers and Merchants National Bank now stands.
Source: Barnes County History 1976 Page 105