Case Studies

There is no 'one size fits all' when it comes to rural grocery stores' ownership models or daily operation. This case study series explores innovative approaches to maintaining and establishing rural grocery stores.

	Blue Rapids, Kansas: Riverside Market and Flowers Through diversification, floral shop owners expand their business to offer groceries, a deli, baked goods, flowers, and locally-made gifts.
	Marquette, Kansas: Piper's Fine Foods Community shareholder investment in Piper’s Fine Foods helps ensure the grocery store’s long-term viability.
	Gowrie, Iowa: Market on Market When trucks stopped making deliveries to the local grocery store, leadership in Gowrie, IA began researching solutions to save the store.
	Evansville, Minnesota: Mainstreet Market Creating an ‘unmanned,’ 24/7 access grocery store: Responding to the needs of Evansville community members.
	Leon, Kansas: Bluestem Mercantile A school-run store is not something you find in every small town, but it was the right fit in Leon, Kansas. The Bluestem Mercantile succeeds because of its ability to see educational opportunities everywhere. They’ve taken advantage of the flexibility that can exist in small towns, and they are now a model for other schools that may want to take on similar projects.
	St. Paul, Kansas: St. Paul Supermarket When the schools in St. Paul, KS were temporarily closed, the city rallied around bring a grocery store back to their community. Partners throughout the community worked to build, open and operate a local grocery store for their community.
	St. John, Kansas: White's Foodliner After the Dillon's grocery store closed in St. John, Kansas, it took many puzzle pieces coming together and the determination of a few key individuals for a new store to open in October 2018.
	Little River, Kansas: Garden of Eden The city of Little River and the Garden of Eden grocery store have a unique partnership that ensures buy-in from the city and owners that Little River will always have a grocery store.
	Conway Springs, Kansas: Hired Man's Grocery & Grill, Inc. After Conway Springs lost their only grocery store, the Osner family decided to take action and open Hired Man's Grocery Store and Grill, Inc.
	Mildred, Kansas: The Mildred Store The Mildred Store is located in a more than 100 year-old building that is one of the last remaining buildings from the height of the town's beginnings.
	Chapman, Kansas: Chapman Food Mart After a tornado ravaged much of the Chapman community, the Chapman Food Mart was developed as part of the city's plan to rebuild. Picking the right team, working with local partners, and making good first impressions has led to success for Chapman Food Mart.