Berlin has Spätis, Japanese citizens flock to its convenience stores, and New York City residents swear by their beloved bodegas.
Iowa City has the long-standing John's Grocery.
John's Grocery has been serving the Iowa City community for the last 75 years, a trusty mainstay in a forever-changing landscape. For most of the Iowa City residents, this local market has played a crucial role whether for a college beer and food run or during the holidays for forgotten ingredients.
Doug Alberhasky is a seventh-generation Iowa City resident and the fourth-generation owner of John's Grocery, initially opened in 1948 by his grandparents, John and Erma Alberhasky.
In a town known for emphasizing local, John's Grocery is the only independent grocery store in Iowa City. The Iowa Grocery Industry Association has 140 independent grocer members left — about one-tenth of their total membership base and slightly fewer than the 156 Hy-Vee stores.
John's Grocery has evolved with the times, offering nearly anything a person needs from a neighborhood store.
"The fact that after 75 years in our family, we are not just surviving, we are thriving, it is a testament to our family," Alberhasky said. "We've got not only four generations of our family here but four generations of customers."
John sent money back to Erma and the family while he was stationed in Honolulu for three years. John returned to Iowa City when the war ended and immediately went to work for his brother Bernie at the Fox Head Tavern, Iowa City's oldest running bar. John realized providing for his soon-to-be family of five was going to be difficult working for someone else, inspiring him to open John's Grocery in 1948.
The building at 401 E. Market Street was a revolving door of business before the Alberhaskys took over. From a dry goods store to a firehouse, a bar, and even a perfume factory, the location was a lightning rod for activity.
The storefront operated as four different grocery stores from 1930 to 1943 before John and Erma Alberhasky purchased the building.
"When my grandparents opened, there were 28 other family-owned corner groceries in Iowa City, and we're the last one," said Doug.
John's Grocery withstood the boom of one-stop-shop supermarkets, like Hy-Vee, in the 1960s as a completely family-owned grocery retailer. As the community's needs changed, John's Grocery evolved, but at its core, it remained a family affair. John and Erma's children started working at the store just as they could see over the counter. The familiar lineage includes Bill Alberhasky, Doug's father, the second-generation owner of John's Grocery, who passed away in 2022.
The Alberhaskys each are motivated by an unofficial family motto: "You never stop working at John's; the days just get shorter."
Doug credits luck for the lasting success of John's Grocery.
"And it comes down to heart. And it comes down to family," he said.
More:Iowa Board of Regents tells UI, ISU, UNI to eliminate DEI positions not required by law
"We have always kept to our core of being a grocery store. We care of our neighbors, where somebody can come in and get their cat food, frozen pizza, or ice cream. It's in our name," Doug said. "At times, we struggle with that. We are more than a grocery store, but when it's in the name, how do people from out of town know that we are a world-class beer, wine, and liquor store? We are always educating customers on who we are."
Doug started working full-time at John's Grocery in 1985, alongside his dad and grandpa. He worked his way into a managerial role by 1989, bolstered by a food store management degree from Kirkwood Community College.
Much like his grandpa John, Doug was blessed with a stroke of luck, stepping in as manager just as the microbrewery revolution arrived in Iowa City.
John's Grocery has always been known as a go-to for beer, but when Doug took over, he capitalized on the boom of specialty beers. John's Grocery was one of the few places to get indie beers.
"It seemed like every week we're getting in 10 new beers, and I knew at that point that we needed more room, so we were trying to Jenga out the right space for what we have and started to move coolers," Doug said. "In the mid-90s is when I really made my space here."
By 2005, John's Grocery was named one of the top beer sellers in the United States by All About Beer Magazine, which led John's to make space for the now iconic beer room.
Iowa City has since blossomed into one of the most diverse beer cities in Iowa, with many different breweries opening in the last few decades.
John's Grocery stakes its claim as one of the earliest onto the craft beer scene, Doug said.
"I knew we did our job when Guinness started to be considered a mainstream beer on tap," he said.
At John's Grocery store, the shopping experience transcends the ordinary. The staff members are not just employees but master storytellers ready to guide you through a world of flavors and memories. They possess a knack for uncovering that elusive niche wine that instantly transports customers back to their days abroad. They help customers remember the beer that changed their lives. John's also may simply be the only place to find a favorite candy bar.
"We're a shopping experience. We have the expertise on beer, wine, and liquor to guide you to whatever you're looking for," Doug said. "But we also have all of the necessities that you need."
Doug has philanthropic ties with community organizations like Boy Scouts and is a lead organizer for festivals like Oktoberfest and BrewFest, giving back to the community tenfold.
"Knowing how hard it is to do business in this day and age, you know, I only support local business," Doug said. "The reason why small business works is because small businesses sports, other small businesses."
Iowa City has the long-standing John's Grocery.
John's Grocery has been serving the Iowa City community for the last 75 years, a trusty mainstay in a forever-changing landscape. For most of the Iowa City residents, this local market has played a crucial role whether for a college beer and food run or during the holidays for forgotten ingredients.
Doug Alberhasky is a seventh-generation Iowa City resident and the fourth-generation owner of John's Grocery, initially opened in 1948 by his grandparents, John and Erma Alberhasky.
In a town known for emphasizing local, John's Grocery is the only independent grocery store in Iowa City. The Iowa Grocery Industry Association has 140 independent grocer members left — about one-tenth of their total membership base and slightly fewer than the 156 Hy-Vee stores.
John's Grocery has evolved with the times, offering nearly anything a person needs from a neighborhood store.
"The fact that after 75 years in our family, we are not just surviving, we are thriving, it is a testament to our family," Alberhasky said. "We've got not only four generations of our family here but four generations of customers."
The origins of John's Grocery
John Alberhasky, a third-generation Iowa City resident, married his wife, Erma, on Dec. 31, 1941, two weeks after the attack on Pearl Harbor. He was motivated to join the Navy and help fight in World War II.John sent money back to Erma and the family while he was stationed in Honolulu for three years. John returned to Iowa City when the war ended and immediately went to work for his brother Bernie at the Fox Head Tavern, Iowa City's oldest running bar. John realized providing for his soon-to-be family of five was going to be difficult working for someone else, inspiring him to open John's Grocery in 1948.
The building at 401 E. Market Street was a revolving door of business before the Alberhaskys took over. From a dry goods store to a firehouse, a bar, and even a perfume factory, the location was a lightning rod for activity.
The storefront operated as four different grocery stores from 1930 to 1943 before John and Erma Alberhasky purchased the building.
"When my grandparents opened, there were 28 other family-owned corner groceries in Iowa City, and we're the last one," said Doug.
John's Grocery withstood the boom of one-stop-shop supermarkets, like Hy-Vee, in the 1960s as a completely family-owned grocery retailer. As the community's needs changed, John's Grocery evolved, but at its core, it remained a family affair. John and Erma's children started working at the store just as they could see over the counter. The familiar lineage includes Bill Alberhasky, Doug's father, the second-generation owner of John's Grocery, who passed away in 2022.
The Alberhaskys each are motivated by an unofficial family motto: "You never stop working at John's; the days just get shorter."
Doug credits luck for the lasting success of John's Grocery.
"And it comes down to heart. And it comes down to family," he said.
More:Iowa Board of Regents tells UI, ISU, UNI to eliminate DEI positions not required by law
A beer lover's dream in the heart of Iowa City
At its core, John's Grocery is just a grocery store that happens to have the largest beer and spirits selection in Iowa."We have always kept to our core of being a grocery store. We care of our neighbors, where somebody can come in and get their cat food, frozen pizza, or ice cream. It's in our name," Doug said. "At times, we struggle with that. We are more than a grocery store, but when it's in the name, how do people from out of town know that we are a world-class beer, wine, and liquor store? We are always educating customers on who we are."
Doug started working full-time at John's Grocery in 1985, alongside his dad and grandpa. He worked his way into a managerial role by 1989, bolstered by a food store management degree from Kirkwood Community College.
Much like his grandpa John, Doug was blessed with a stroke of luck, stepping in as manager just as the microbrewery revolution arrived in Iowa City.
John's Grocery has always been known as a go-to for beer, but when Doug took over, he capitalized on the boom of specialty beers. John's Grocery was one of the few places to get indie beers.
"It seemed like every week we're getting in 10 new beers, and I knew at that point that we needed more room, so we were trying to Jenga out the right space for what we have and started to move coolers," Doug said. "In the mid-90s is when I really made my space here."
By 2005, John's Grocery was named one of the top beer sellers in the United States by All About Beer Magazine, which led John's to make space for the now iconic beer room.
Iowa City has since blossomed into one of the most diverse beer cities in Iowa, with many different breweries opening in the last few decades.
John's Grocery stakes its claim as one of the earliest onto the craft beer scene, Doug said.
"I knew we did our job when Guinness started to be considered a mainstream beer on tap," he said.
At John's Grocery store, the shopping experience transcends the ordinary. The staff members are not just employees but master storytellers ready to guide you through a world of flavors and memories. They possess a knack for uncovering that elusive niche wine that instantly transports customers back to their days abroad. They help customers remember the beer that changed their lives. John's also may simply be the only place to find a favorite candy bar.
"We're a shopping experience. We have the expertise on beer, wine, and liquor to guide you to whatever you're looking for," Doug said. "But we also have all of the necessities that you need."
Doug has philanthropic ties with community organizations like Boy Scouts and is a lead organizer for festivals like Oktoberfest and BrewFest, giving back to the community tenfold.
"Knowing how hard it is to do business in this day and age, you know, I only support local business," Doug said. "The reason why small business works is because small businesses sports, other small businesses."
Family-owned John's Grocery toasts to 75 years in Iowa City and looks to the future
For the past 75 years, John's Grocery has been serving the Iowa City community and honoring its historical roots and has no plans of stopping.
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