Revisiting 1933 Iowa City Neighborhood Grocery Stores.

On Saturday, April 5, 1986, Iowa City historian Irving Weber took his readers back to 1933, as the whole nation was in the throes of The Great Depression. His article was entitled, When Ma and Pa minded the store, and it’s a wonderful jaunt through Weber’s remembrances of Iowa City neighborhood grocery shopping in the 1930’s.

In an earlier post, we reviewed Weber’s article and found that, in 1933, there were actually 16 different downtown grocers with 19 different locations + 31 neighborhood grocers (including Coralville) = 47 different grocery stores in 50 different locations! Wow! Now, for a population of just over 15,000 people at the time, that’s a lot of grocery options for Iowa Citians, don’t you think?

Would you believe that, today (2023), while half (25) of the 50 buildings are still standing (extant), only one of those 50 grocery store buildings from 1933 remains as a traditional grocery store today? Can you guess its name?

More on that later…

So, on this post, I’d like to take you, once more, back to 1933, and revisit those 50 grocery stores, plus we’re gonna offer you current photographs of those 25 extant buildings that still stand in Iowa City today.

So, let’s start with the immediate downtown area – Weber called it the “business district” of Iowa City. As you can see from the map below, in 1933, there were 19 different grocery stores – all located within 7 city blocks!

**16 different downtown grocery stores in 1933 – with 19 different locations.**

1) **Economy Cash Store #1** – Aaron & David Braverman – 101 S. Clinton Street
2) **Great A & P Tea Company #1** – 117 S. Clinton Street
3) **Buehler Bros. Grocery** – 123 S. Clinton Street
4) **J. Pusteri Grocery** – 130 S. Clinton Street
5) **Joseph Glassman’s Cash Grocery** – 131 S. Clinton Street
6) **J.B. Cash Store** – 210 S. Clinton Street
7) **Economy Cash Store #2** – Aaron & David Braverman – 224 E. Washington Street
8) **Pohler’s Grocery** – 1 S. Dubuque Street
9) **Koza & McCollister Meat Market** – 115 S. Dubuque Street
10) **F.J. Wicks Grocery** – 116 S. Dubuque Street
11) **Ben Whitebook Grocery** – 117 S. Dubuque Street
12) **Wilkinson & Condon Grocery** – 124 S. Dubuque Street
13) **The Food Mart** – 127 S. Dubuque Street
14) **Fry Bros. Grocery** – Fred & Earl Fry – 210 S. Dubuque Street
15) **Economy Cash Store #3** – Aaron & David Braverman – 217 S. Dubuque Street
16) **Means Bros. Grocery** – Everett & Elza Means – 219 S. Dubuque Street
17) **Wholesale Grocery** – 108 E. College Street
18) **Self Serve Grocery** – 109 E. College Street
19) **Great A & P Tea Company #2** – 110 E. College Street

So, here we are, in 2023 – 90 years later – and there are only 5 of those 19 buildings still standing (see below). And you guessed it – of those nineteen grocery stores in 1933, there are, today, NO traditional grocery stores remaining in this once densely-populated grocers’ paradise!

Here are the 5 extant buildings that still stand in downtown Iowa City* with pictures – as they appear today (below)…

8) **Pohler’s Grocery** – 1 S. Dubuque Street
9) **Koza & McCollister Meat Market** – 115 S. Dubuque Street
12) **Wilkinson & Condon Grocery** – 124 S. Dubuque Street
18) **Self Serve Grocery** – 109 E. College Street
19) **Great A & P Tea Company #2** – 110 E. College Street

These two adjoining commercial buildings (above left) – **111 S. Dubuque** (right) & **115 S. Dubuque** (left) are, as most historians agree, the two oldest commercial buildings remaining in downtown Iowa City. Built in the 1850’s, they have housed a variety of commercial endeavors over the years. **115 S. Dubuque** is commonly called the **Franklin Printing House** – hosting both the Iowa Capitol Reporter and the Iowa City Republican from 1856 until the 1870’s, with **Koza Meat Market** (see pic below) moving in around 1912. On **April 10, 1986**, the building was designated on the **National Register of Historic Places**. You can read more details here.

***Koza & McCollister Meat Market – 1935 – photo (above) courtesy of Joshua Koza***. Brothers John & Joseph Koza – from Bohemia – moved into Iowa City around 1868, and by 1875 had opened **Koza Brothers Meat Market** on the corner of Dubuque and College Streets (see pic below). In 1900, Joseph sold his share to John, and by 1912, Koza moved his meat market to 115 S. Dubuque Street – joining with McCollister by 1930.

This would be a good time to insert the stories of America’s first two true super-market corporations: **The Great Atlantic & Pacific Tea Company (A&P)** and **Piggly Wiggly**. Both A&P and Piggly Wiggly first came to Iowa City in the late 1920’s, with Piggly Wiggly’s self-service store being located at **109 E. College Street**. “The Pig” opened a second store – **2 S. Dubuque** – briefly in 1930, but both stores were short-lived, selling out to the independent Self-Serve chain in the early 1930’s. By 1933, A&P was on the rise, expanding to two downtown locations – **117 S. Clinton Street** and **110 E. College Street**. By the late 1950’s, A&P re-located to a much larger location at **700 S. Clinton Street** (below), remaining there until its closure in 1974. Piggly Wiggly tried a second go in Iowa City, surviving for 6 years (1934-1940) under different management. While only in Iowa City for a short time – the company still survives nationally (unlike A&P), located in smaller communities around the country.

**You can read the full story of the July 1959 Grand Opening of this new A&P store here.**
(Above) – growing up in Iowa City, I have a lot of fond memories of shopping with my parents at this A&P – best known for its freshly-ground Eight-O-Clock coffee. (Below) – look closely, and on the right, you’ll see the downtown Piggly Wiggly located at 109 E. College – right next to Sears. Circa 1929.

Now, let’s move to the north and to the east of downtown Iowa City. In 1933, there was an abundance of neighborhood grocery stores…

**11 Grocery Stores – North & East Side**

1) **Amrine Grocery** – 1222 Rochester Street
2) **J.A. Helmer Grocery** – 1034 N. Summit Street
3) **Holub & Son Grocery** – 302 E. Bloomington Street
4) **Hurd’s Grocery (Miller’s Market St.)** – 1020 E. Market Street
5) **L&B Grocery** – 532 N.Dodge Street
6) **Parizek’s Grocery** – 717 E. Fairchild Street
7) **People’s Grocery** – 701 E. Davenport Street
8) **Red Star Grocery** – 931 N. Dodge Street
9) **Schillig’s Grocery** – 818 E. Market Street
10) **Neuzil’s Grocery** – 332 E. Davenport Street
11) **Jefferson Street Grocery** – 604 E. Jefferson Street

Interestingly enough, of the 11 buildings that housed grocery stores in 1933, 10 of those buildings still remain today. Yet, much like the properties located downtown, none host traditional grocery stores today.

The only 1933 grocery store building that’s been torn down, is the one located at #10 (above) **332 E. Davenport Street**. The long-time home of **Frank Neuzil’s Grocery**, below is a rare photo of his shop from the early 1900’s.

Below is a list of the 10 extant buildings that still stand in the northeast section of Iowa City – with pictures, as they appear today (below)…

1) **Amrine Grocery** – 1222 Rochester Street
2) **J.A. Helmer Grocery** – 1034 N. Summit Street
3) **Holub & Son Grocery** – 302 E. Bloomington Street
4) **Hurd’s Grocery (Miller’s Market St.)** – 1020 E. Market Street
5) **L&B Grocery** – 532 N.Dodge Street
6) **Parizek’s Grocery** – 717 E. Fairchild Street
7) **People’s Grocery** – 701 E. Davenport Street
8) **Red Star Grocery** – 931 N. Dodge Street
9) **Schillig’s Grocery** – 818 E. Market Street
11) **Jefferson Street Grocery** – 604 E. Jefferson Street

*Read more about the long history of **Slezak National Hall** – today, the home of **Pagliai’s Pizza**.*

*Above (right) is a drawing of long-time grocer – Doc Kehoe, of People’s Grocery at 701 E. Davenport.*

Moving to the south and staying on the east side of Iowa City, we find 12 neighborhood grocery stores in 1933…

**12 Grocery Stores – South & East Side**

1) **Bob’s Grocery** – 519 S. Dodge Street
2) **Bowery Street Grocery** – 518 Bowery Street
3) **Capitol Grocery** – 605 Capitol Street
4) **Bert Chase Grocery** – 2230 Muscatine Avenue
5) **Gumps Good Grocery** – 1231 Muscatine Avenue
6) **Hummer Grocer Co.** – 803 S. Clinton Street
7) **McLachlan Grocery** – 617 Kirkwood Street
8) **Palmer’s Grocery** – 1331 Muscatine Avenue
9) **Harry Smith Grocery** – 812 S. Summit Street
10) **Schneider Grocery** – 602 S. Dubuque Street
11) **Valentine Grocery** – 420 S. Linn Street
12) **Joe Whitebook Grocery** – 1603 Muscatine Avenue

Today, 66% of the grocery stores buildings of 1933 in this part of the city remain. Here are those 8 properties, and once again, none of those locations are traditional grocery stores today…

Here are the 8 extant buildings that still stand in the southeast section of Iowa City – with pictures, as they appear today (below)…

1) **Bob’s Grocery** – 519 S. Dodge Street
2) **Bowery Street Grocery** – 518 Bowery Street
5) **Gumps Good Grocery** – 1231 Muscatine Avenue
7) **McLachlan Grocery** – 617 Kirkwood Street
8) **Palmer’s Grocery** – 1331 Muscatine Avenue
9) **Harry Smith Grocery** – 812 S. Summit Street
10) **Schneider Grocery** – 602 S. Dubuque Street
12) **Joe Whitebook Grocery** – 1603 Muscatine Avenue

The Bowery Street Grocery Store was long a staple for the surrounding residential community. According to local building restoration and preservation organization Preservation Iowa, it was likely built in the 1860s and served as a meat market before being converted into student housing, and, eventually, an Italian grocery store before hosting the first **New Pioneer Coop**. The Bowery Street Grocery was designated on the **National Register of Historic Places** on **April 7, 2014**.

Below: (left) *the **Bowery Street Market** shows up on this **1868 map of Iowa City**!* *(right) Iowa City artist **Joshua Koza** created this colorful design, commissioned for **Karen Quigley** who lived in the home for a season. Her daughter provided us with this description:* “The magnolia tree that was by our house has long been cut down. My mom planted purple tulips and zinnias for me because they were my favorite flowers, and the blue flowers are the state flower of Alaska where she was raised, and where I’ve lived for 20 years. *FYI: 518 E. Bowery was also a school in the 1980’s named Helen Caldecott Community School and I attended it.”*

Known as Palmer’s Grocery in 1933, for your humble author, this little store on the corner of Muscatine & Court Streets was known, in my day, as **Seaton’s Grocery** – the very best place in town to buy fresh meats!

Obviously, in 1933, the west side of Iowa City was not heavily populated. The University had been moving westward in the mid-to-late 1920’s, but during The Great Depression, much of that push toward the west had slowed to a snail’s pace. Thus, we find only four grocery stores listed between the “West Side” and Coralville. Today, of course, the west side of Iowa City and Coralville are a thriving part of our community. Yet, only 1 of the four 1933 grocery store buildings remain. Can you guess where it’s located?

**4 Grocery Stores – West Side & Coralville**

1) **Melrose Grocery** – 803 Melrose Avenue – remains today as a multiple-home residence located directly across from Kinnick Stadium (see pic below)…

2) **Riverside Grocery** – 710 Riverside Drive
3) **Ed Koser Grocery** – Coralville
4) **O’Harra Grocery** – Coralville

Which, now, brings us back to our question we asked at the top of the page…

Of the 50 neighborhood grocery stores of Iowa City in 1933, only 1 of those locations remains as a traditional grocery store today. Can you name it?

**4 Grocery Stores – Adjacent To Downtown.**

1) **Avenue Grocery** – 615 Iowa Avenue
2) **Brady’s Grocery** – 103-5 W. Burlington Street
3) **E.E. McGuire Grocery** – 401 E. Market Street
4) **Ray’s Grocery** – 421 E. Washington Street

As we come to the end of our journey, we have one last extant grocery store to share with you. And, to do that, we return to the center of the city – the collar area surrounding the immediate downtown business district (see map above). As you can see, there were 4 grocery stores in this area in 1933, and if you’ve been keeping score – of the 50 total grocery stores available to Iowa City area shoppers in 1933 – we’ve shown you, thus far, 24 extant buildings scattered around the city. Sadly, in 2023 – ninety years after the fact – none of these 24 buildings are still used as grocery stores!

So, in closing, here’s the 25th extant building, and yes, you guessed it – it’s located in this area adjacent to the Iowa City downtown business district, and we are guessing, you are very familiar with it!

Of the 25 buildings that remain today, only ONE grocery store still remains, to this day, as a traditional grocery store. That ONE grocery store is … drum roll …

As you have read earlier, in 1933, this “Mom & Pop” grocery was called E.E. McGuire Grocery, but it wasn’t until 1948 that John and Erma Alberhasky took ownership – renaming it – John’s Grocery. You can read more about John’s Grocery here.

We hope you enjoyed this second trip back to Iowa City’s Neighborhood Grocery Stores in 1933, and our updated look at what the 25 extant buildings (out of the original 50) look like today!

*Read more about the first 60 years of Iowa City neighborhood grocery stores.*

PW – December 15, 2024
PW – March 30, 2025

***April 7, 2014 – The Bowery Street Grocery – located at 518 E. Bowery Street in Iowa City – is designated on the National Register of Historic Places.***

***April 10, 1986 – The Franklin Printing Company Building (Koza Meat Market) – located at 115 S. Dubuque Street – is designated on the National Register of Historic Places.***

A big thanks to Iowa City historian – Tom Schulein – for all of his amazing research and photographs that went into this page! Check out his 1-hour video presentation below…